Don't Trust Me
by fanficlove2014
Summary: Elizabeth is a rookie detective looking for her big break. When a new super-drug with fatal side-effects hits the streets, she takes the case. But, when the investigation hits a dead-end, she teams up with the leader of a rival gang - a man with a dark past and motives of his own. Her job and life are on the line, and nothing is as it seems. A collab between DOMinMatrix and me.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

 _Deep breathes, Elizabeth. This is it._

I could feel my temple throbbing from the uptick in my heart rate. The pounding music certainly didn't help, but I couldn't be bothered to try and make heads or tails of what the club was playing over the loudspeakers. My eyes zone in and out of focus across the mob of dancers as I try to keep my cool.

I must have looked like I was on my last leg, because the bartender slid a shot glass in front of me with an encouraging grin. His eyes saying, ' _Drink up. You look like you need it.'_

And I did. But I couldn't - not right now. Not when we were _this close_. So I offered him a half smile as thanks and he went back to serving much more enthusiastic customers. I pushed the shot glass away and turned back to watching the crowd.

Immediately, I could pick out the others here with me. Howzer across the way, looking like one of the many frat boys here to party - ladies practically throwing themselves at him. I had to chuckle as he seemed to be both simultaneously flirting and trying to shoo them away. My eyes flicker to the second floor. There I find her. Looking down with her calm gaze was Veronica. A scowl on her lips as if she were too cool to be seen in a club like this.

Both of them able to blend so effortlessly into the crowd.

And here I was, looking like I was guilty of a crime.

 _Deep breathes…_ I reminded myself again even as I fight the urge to bang my head against the counter in frustration. I never quite had the patience for these kinds of operations.

This wasn't my first time in the field. But this _was_ my case. This was the culmination of all our hard work paying off, and I couldn't find it in me to pretend like it wasn't a big deal.

We were about to take one of the city's worst up-and-coming drug gangs out of commission. Once and for all.

When I was first handed the case, it was nothing special. That's why they gave it to me in the first place. My supervisor believed it would be a simple, nothing too hard for me to handle and a good way to get my feet wet. A new drug was on the street but it hadn't yet gained any popularity amongst the populous. Just the normal gang bangers and the like, mostly. But it was killing people. That made it our concern. Faster than anyone thought possible, the distribution of the drug skyrocketed.

Making the case a lot bigger than anyone wanted me to be in charge of.

I had to do this right. One misstep and they would take it away from me.

"What's a lady like you doing in a place like this?" a confident voice cut through the music. A scowl immediately finds it's way on my face. This wasn't the first time tonight I had been hit on.

I rolled my eyes, "Working." I retorted rather abrasively. It was almost midnight. I was watching the back door under the stairs to the upper floor for my target. My green light that said the deal was on and our bust was a go. I didn't have time to entertain some drunk who thought he had a chance at getting laid.

"On what?" The man asked again, being a little too insistent for my liking. I turned with a rejection already primed - something sharp and degrading, when my words fell short. I recognized him from the poster hanging in the precinct. Or at least I recognized the contours of his face. The wanted poster didn't really do him justice. The age had been all wrong. The eyes too. But the underlying structure; I could see it. This man was wanted for the assault and attempted murder of three officers in my precinct.

But… could he really? The man offered me a crooked grin. It was charming. And his emerald eyes just _danced_ with mirth. It was hard to imagine he was responsible for putting three heavily armed and trained officers into comas. Was I just projecting? No, my keen eye was never wrong. So why here? Why me?

Could he tell that I was a cop?

Those emeralds darted away from their stare-off with me and his mood shifted to disappointed, all before he took the shot I had refused, threw it back, then stood from his bar stool, "Well, it was a pleasure." He said haphazardly, then began to walk away.

 _What?! No! I can't let him leave!_

"Wait!" I called out to him, before I even had a chance to think about my actions. This wasn't my job here. He wasn't my target, and I began to fumble over my words when he turned that charming crooked grin back on me again, "Wh-What's you're name?" I called. Anything… anything at all that would lead me to him later.

That grin spread like wildfire into a full on smile, "Maybe next time." He said, disappearing into the crowd.

 _Next time?_

He was gone. No amount of searching seemed to help. And no sooner had I given up, did my attention catch the signal I had been waiting for all night. From across the bar, I could see my target slipping his way around the back of the dance floor towards the door underneath the stairs.

Already, Howzer to my left, and Veronica above me were on the move - so I shook the charming man from my head and quickly made my way through the crowd to rendezvous with them outside of the door. I reached under the hem of my skirt, pulling a small 10mm glock from the hidden holster on my thigh, holding it low as to not scare any clubbers who were watching.

 _This is it…_

"Alright, the target has made contact." Veronica says softly, the music completely washing out her words, but Howzer and I had heard her perfectly clear.

Howzer pushed himself against the wall, Veronica taking the door knob in one hand and keeping her glock poised in the other. I stood just off the side, ready to take lead. We would go on Veronica's count of five.

That was, until we heard gunshots from behind the door - the bangs loud enough that the entire club went up into a frenzy behind us as we threw open the door, guns raised. "Freeze!" I shouted.

If the movies get one thing right, it's the chaos that ensues during a _breach and clear_. The flurry of people attempting to run and hide, the mad dash to get rid of evidence.

But the scene we were met with was a far cry from what we had expected.

Standing in the room, seemingly alone was a single man - the same man who had approached me at the bar - his arms raised above his head, and a rather calm expression on his face despite being surrounded by stacks of money on one table and carefully wrapped packages of drugs on another. A gun laid out amongst the money. Did he shoot? Where's our target?

I keep my gun trained on him as I order my team to, "Fan out and look for others. He can't be the only one here."

Howzer and Veronica swiftly carry out my orders. One taking the right, the other going left. It shouldn't take them to long to make sure everything was clear. Cautiously I step closer to the blonde man. What is he even doing here? Is this why he left so suddenly?

To many questions are spinning in my head. I can't seem to pin one down to put into words.

A smile works its way on his face as his eyes meet mine, "Long time no see."


	2. Chapter 2

Hello Lovelies, Dom here (DOMinMatrix, Author of _Can I Have Your Daughter_ and _Can I Keep You_ ).

Luv and I would like to officially welcome you to our collab: _**Don't Trust Me**_. We're extremely excited to share this story with you as it has been an absolute thrill to write.

If you like mystery, sarcasm, and sexy thrillers; you are in the right place. If you don't, well stick around. We may just surprise you. ;)

We're also thrilled to see so many people excited to read after just the first chapter!

Now that we've gotten the fun stuff out of the way, on to Disclaimers:

Fair warning for future reference, while this story is rated T, there are topics and chapters in the future that will be rated M. We will preface them with a warning. Some other things to keep in mind: some of the characters have been altered slightly to fit the new universe. Any depictions of or changes made to the characters, that are similar to those in real life are purely made for the sake of fiction and do not reflect our personal views of said individuals, groups, or organizations.

 **Remember: if you like the story, don't forget to drop a favorite or follow so you'll be alerted when we update. And leave a review letting us know what you think/ what your theories are! We love hearing from everyone!**

Without further ado, on with the show!

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

The police station was buzzing, not uncommon for this time of night, but there were certainly a few too many people hanging around just to see if we had managed to pull off our sting.

I hate office rubberneckers. They were the ones you were sure to keep your private life away from if you didn't want to be the talk of the department. That being said, this was a big case. And we had brought in a suspect. There was bound to be talk whether I liked it or not.

"Hear you caught a fish!" one of the other detectives called out as I hustled down the hall towards the interrogation rooms. I don't have time to acknowledge him. I have to question my suspect before he gets wise and lawyers up.

It's about half-way down the next hall that I find my destination, a closed door labeled "Interrogation Room 3", and take a breath. I don't even need to check the adjoining room to know that it is occupied by my team. All just as anxious as I was to close this case and nail it shut.

I open the door, peering in with an air of confidence. Interrogation 101: make the perp feel like you have all their dirty secrets before you even open your mouth.

The man looked up the moment I walk in and he shoots me quite a confident grin of his own - no matter. It wouldn't be there for long. I open the folder tucked in my hand, "Possession of several pounds of illegal substances, intent to sell, carrying of an unregistered illegal firearm, money laundering, and possession of counterfeit bills. We have enough evidence here to put you away for a long time." I say, lingering near the door, but eventually finding my way to sit in the chair in front of him. "Make a confession, and the D.A. _may_ cut you some slack." I say like I'm doing him a favor.

There was a moment of contemplative silence before he hummed, watching me speculatively, before a grin found its way over his lips, "No, you don't."

"Excuse me?"

"You don't actually have anything on me. Otherwise I'd be in a cell and not _Interrogation Room 3_." The cocky bastard leaned back into his metal chair, hands resting lazily behind his head.

I force myself to take a deep, calming breath before responding to his over confident ass. Impulse control has always been a struggle. A dangerous thing to lack in my line of work. Thankfully a few years on the job and meditation on a daily basis help keep it under control.

 _Deep breathes…_

"You were at the scene of the crime," I told him, twirling a pen in my hand to seem just as confident as him.

"Sure," he shrugged easily. "But so were you… and roughly two hundred other people."

I'm biting the inside of my cheek to keep from retorting. This guy was going to have a comeback for anything I said. But still… "Those two hundred other people weren't caught in compromising positions."

"Just trying to find the bathroom."

"In the employee's only area? With a gun?"

He stared at me, unblinking before replying, "it was really dark in there. You can't honestly tell me you've never took a wrong turn in the dark? And I wasn't actually in possession of a gun. It was on the table."

His responses are quick and precise. As if he's done this a hundred times before. He masterfully dodges anything I say, not letting me pin a single thing down on him _despite_ finding him amongst the drugs and money. It's hard to believe this is the same man that approached me at the bar before everything went to shit.

"You shouldn't scowl so much, Princess. Ruins that pretty face of yours."

I bristle, my eyes narrowing dangerously. "Princess?"

His lips quirk, "sure. Why not? Princess seems like a good name for ya."

"I am _not_ a princess."

He propped an elbow on the table, emerald eyes dancing with the mirth he displayed earlier in the night. His chin settled in his open palm and he smiled. "Coulda fooled me."

The blonde is trying to get under my skin, I know he is. Yet, I can't help taking the bait, "and what's that suppose to mean?"

"You looked so out of place at the club."

I pursed my lips. The question I had for him when we first met rising to the tip of my tongue. "You knew I was a cop?"

I internally cringe. _What is wrong with me? Why would I ask him that? I sound ridiculous!_

"Didn't say that," he leans back in his chair. "Just said you looked outta place. Though," that crooked grin appears on his face. "Kinda obvious you are one now."

I can feel my cheeks heating. Quickly I glance down at the forgotten file I had brought in with me. I hold it up at an angle so he couldn't see that the files inside were fewer than I let on. Only a couple of documents from the scene and the poster I had linked to him. "It says here that you've assaulted three officers. They remain in critical condition."

"Is that so?" He asked, unconvinced, eying the folder, "Do I really look like I could do something like that?" He quirks a brow and gestures at his stature.

He's short. Shorter than me even, with boyish features. If I hadn't seen him out at the club I may have thought him merely a teen. But I knew better than anyone how deceiving looks could be. I reevaluate the piece of paper. The descriptions and even the picture are wrong. Despite that I can see the similarities between them. I bite my bottom lip.

 _Something seems wrong with this._

I glance at him over the top of the folder. He's looking around the room, not at all bothered by being here. _He knows something,_ the thought nags at the back of my head. _And he's confident enough that what he knows will get him out of here._ I close the folder and set it back on the table. My hands fold over the top of it as I decide how to reply.

"I don't necessarily believe that looks are a good judge of what someone is capable of."

"Fallen victim to a few hasty judgements yourself, huh Princess?"

He's right. This line of work doesn't favor the young and beautiful. I lost track of how many times I've been written off because of my age and large bust. They put me behind a desk _for two years_ , before I was given a chance to get out to the field. This was the first case I was in charge of and I wanted, no, _needed_ it to go right. Otherwise they may just stick me behind that damned desk again - forever the poster girl of gender and age diversity in the department.

The thought strengthens my resolve. _I can do this._

"We aren't discussing me here, _Sir,_ " I respond with mock politeness.

My tone doesn't seem to bother him as a large smile spreads across his face. "Aren't we though, _Princess_?"

I'm torn between the urge to slap him for the stupid nickname and falling for his charm. His smile is, admittedly, pleasant to look at. Those emerald eyes, so expressive with his glee. It boggles me how he can be so at ease in an interegation. Not even completely innocent people get out of this without breaking a sweat.

"Look," I level with him, shaking my head to get my fascination with him out of my mind and back onto the job. "We found you at the scene - that in itself is enough to hold you, so, you aren't getting out of this without giving us something."

"I could give you my number?"

My patience was wearing thin. I was tired of playing this game with him. And it was just that - a game. It was time to throw out my trump card. "Alright, I was trying to be nice, but you're impeding on my investigation. And I don't know if you realize this, but that's a felony, and I can lock you up for obstruction of justice."

His brows raised, but the grin never left, "Wow… those are some really impressive words." He breathed, mulling over my threat, "Alright, since you twisted my arm." He sat up, folding his fingers on the table - finally a seriousness falling over his features as he regarded me. I too lean closer, thankful that this little dance was over.

"I didn't do it." And just like that, his grin was back.

My nose and lip began to twitch as I restrained a growl. I wanted so bad to grab him by the tie he wore loosely around his neck and strangle him. Luckily for him, his saving grace came in the form of a quick knock on the two way glass.

I picked up my folder, sparing no glance towards him as I fumed my way out of the room, slamming the door behind me.

"What the hell are you doing in there?" Veronica threw her arms up as I entered the observation room, motioning to the window as if I needed another reminder of how badly this was going. "Don't wait till he lawyers up. Charge the bastard and let's get this done!"

I frown, knowing that at least one thing the blonde man said was true. _We have nothing to hold him. Anything we do have is circumstantial at best._

Howzer was standing cross-armed in front of the window watching our suspect intently, "Do you really think this is the same guy who took out the cops in the hospital?"

Veronica groaned, "That doesn't matter!"

"It _does_ matter." I said, shooting her a disapproving look, "But to be honest…" I joined Howzer at the window. The man inside rocked back on the hind chair legs, confident and cool as ever. "I just don't know. I think he's involved, but to what extent, I'm not sure."

"What _are_ you sure of?"

Howzer and I spun around, completely at attention as soon as the chief's voice washed over us. The head of the department stood in the doorway, his outward expression said that he wasn't in the mood for failure. "Sir!"

I felt my heart jump into my throat, "Well sir, he's-"

"We can do more than place him at the scene! This cocky asshole is good for it." Veronica interrupted me, and I was starting to get a little more than annoyed with her. Why was she so damned determined to see someone charged? Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty?

"The evidence we have is circumstantial, Veronica. The defense would have a field day."

Chief Bartra gave me a long look, "So we have nothing?"

"No sir. On the contrary, I believe I can get the evidence needed to close this case. This man," I turned back to the window, and I shouldn't have been surprised to see the blonde was smiling at the mirror as if he could see right past it to me, "I am positive that this man is responsible for putting three of our own into critical condition. I also think he knows more about what's going on than he's telling me."

"Why are we not charging him with that?"

"The evidence isn't there to-"

"So, nothing." The chief groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose to alleviate his growing headache.

"Sir please!" I raised my voice and even I could hear the desperation there. "I can get the evidence. Just give me a chance."

The older man watched me, gauging me, before finally asking, "Would you stake your career on it?"

My mouth fell open. My dreams of becoming a cop, of making the city a better place, all of it was suddenly on the line. And why wouldn't it be? The Chief of police was a man who didn't humor failure. He ran a tight ship. And worse of all… he was my father. It was no secret that he didn't want me on the force. Call it misguided over-protection, or just down-right discouragement, but he would do anything to see that I was sent packing.

Not today.

I closed my mouth, feeling a sense of courage surging up through me as I squared off to the old man, "Yes." I replied, feeling the resolution echoing in my response, "Yes I would."

I'm not sure my answer satisfied him, but he relented, "Fine. If it can be done, do it." He said dismissively, on his way out the door, but before he could leave, he leaned back - meeting my gaze seriously, "You have a month, Elizabeth. If you can't get the evidence you need to close this case in one month, then I want your badge and gun on my desk. Do I make myself clear?"

 _One month?! It took nearly three months to set up the sting from last night!_ "Yes, sir." I affirm, keeping my fretting inward. He narrows his eyes on me again and then he was gone.

"What the hell just happened?" Howzer asked, sounded just as befuddled as I felt. I didn't know how to respond. I had just wagered my job for this case and I had thirty days to close it. Nothing else was said as I left the observation room.

I took a long breath as I stood outside of the interrogation room door, feeling less confident than the first time I had entered. It was a different game this time, with so much more on the line than before.

Finally, I steeled my nerves and opened the door. I was greeted once again with that charming smile, but this time it didn't fill me with the conflicting feelings it had before. This man was my only hope for keeping my job.

I took my place in the seat across from him, eyeing him for a long moment. I had one chance. I had to be sure about this… no I _was_ sure about this. Finally - without a word, I open the folder, pulling the wanted poster with the poor representation of him out and turned it so that he could see.

"Don't talk. Just… just listen."

The blonde's mouth closed loudly to emphasise his cooperation, and I took that as my cue to continue. I placed a finger on the poster, tapping it as I spoke as if to drive my point harder, "I know this is you. But I don't care about that right now." I watch him, searching his face for any crack in his facade, only to find there was none.

"I have a feeling you are involved with all of this somehow. You let us catch you - for only god knows what reason. But despite that, I believe you. I believe that you didn't do it - whatever _it_ is."

"Why?" His question was unexpected, and I found myself asking the same question internally. Why did I believe him? Because he was charming? Because he knew how to avoid incriminating himself?

"Because…" I trail off. What could I possibly say that wouldn't sound like I… was desperate? I'm sure Veronica and Howzer are still watching behind the glass and even if they weren't, all interrogations are recorded.

"You haven't lied to me," I settle with saying. Once the words leave my lips I know them to be true. _Maybe he hasn't answered over half of my questions, but the one he did. He told the truth. I can feel it._

His green eyes study me silently. "You sure about that?"

"I am," I nod. "Now that kind of trust should go both ways."

"Trust?" His lips quirk. "I'm in an interrogation room. I don't think there's much _trust_ between us right now."

I smile and his own drops, seemingly caught off guard. "Yes, but it isn't a pointed that out so helpfully. The difference between when I first brought you in and now is that I can, at the very least, hold you for what we do have on you."

"It wouldn't be for long," he lounges back in his chair, undisturbed by my small threat. But for the first time I could see the wheels turning in his head.

"Maybe not, but I'm sure you'd have things you'd rather be doing than sitting in a jail cell for an undisclosed amount of time."

He mulls it over for a minute before replying, "and what, exactly, do you think I can help you with?"

I fight back my eagerness. That simple question is probably the most headway I've made with him so far. "Like I said, I know you're involved. I just wanna know the specifics."

"Specifics huh?" He hums, a finger tapping against his chin thoughtfully. "And what are you going to do with these… _specifics_?"

"Depends on what you give me."

"Well," that damn crooked grin comes back full force. "I did offer you my number earlier."

I grit my teeth. _So much for that headway._

He chuckles at my stern expression. "Tell you what, Princess. I'll help you out."

"Really?" My jaw practically unhinges. All this back and forth is starting to make my head spin.

He holds up a finger to stop me before I can say anything else. "I have a few conditions of course."

I try not to scowl. "...and they are?"

The blonde grins widely. "First off, as much as I like calling you Princess, how about a real name?"

"My name?" It seems too simple, but at the same time… _A name could be dangerous. I was going to use his to try and track him down just a few hours ago._

"We're going to be working together for a while," he clarifies, watching me, passing his motivation to me through his gaze. He had no intention of telling me what I wanted to know now… I'd have to work for it. "Unless you want me to keep calling you Princess?"

My nose scrunches up, "No."

"It's Princess or your name," He shrugs.

"Well, what about yours?" I counter childishly.

His eyes light up. Obviously enjoying the game - a game I was now bing forced to play. "Show me yours and I'll show you mine."

"Show?"

"Tell, sorry," he chuckles lightly. It's a nice laugh. "I meant tell."

I don't think he meant _tell_ at all…

Whatever this guy had planned… I was in it for the long-haul. He'd regret challenging me. "Elizabeth," I say pointedly.

"Elizabeth," he tests my name out, rolling it around on his tongue like a fine wine. Or maybe he was trying to figure out if I had given him a fake name. Either way, he nods, satisfied with my answer.

I fight back the urge to fidget. Long-haul. I can't become impatient when the game just started. However, I can't help but ask, "Well?"

"Meliodas," he replies with a crooked grin. "Maybe you've heard of me?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

My eyes go wide. "Meliodas?" I slam my hands on the table as I stand up abruptly. "As in leader of the Seven Deadly Sins, _Meliodas_?"

"That's me," the blonde replies, voice light and cheery.

"That's a notorious gang! If you're lying to me, I can have you thrown away for-"

"Interfering with an investigation. It's a felony, yeah, yeah," he interrupts me and rolls his eyes. That damn smile still in place. The cocky bastard. "I'm not lying. My name is Meliodas."

Before I can continue, another tap comes across the glass. I don't hide my frown at being interrupted again. The blonde in front of me, _Meliodas_ , merely smiles. I pick up the toppled chair and try to calm the sudden racing of my heart.

 _I can't believe this is the leader of the Seven Deadly Sins. This could break the case wide open!_

Another, impatient tap.

I shake my head at them. _Probably Veronica,_ I fight back rolling my eyes. I turn to Meliodas. "I'll be right back."

His emerald eyes search my face and he smiles, "Hope so Elizabeth."

My heart lurches in my chest at the sudden use of my name. I forgot that I had given it to him in all the excitement of figuring out who he was. Instead of replying, I simply nod and walk out of the room in better spirits than when I first went in. I barely open the door to the observation room when Veronica is hounding me.

"Are you trying to get yourself killed?!"

My brows furrow, "No, I'm trying to solve a case."

"With him?" Her hands fidget uncontrollably at her side, probably resisting the urge to slap some sense into me. "Do you know who he is? I know you just put your career on the line Ellie, but this isn't the way." Her voice softens in an unusual display of affection from her.

My older sister.

I wasn't the only one who wanted to follow in Father's footsteps. While Veronica and I took the more direct path, our eldest sister, Margaret, took a different approach. She was the Assistant District Attorney for our precinct. A path Father would have preferred we _all_ took, but especially me, the youngest. According to him, I just didn't have the same fire and street smarts as Veronica - something I've always resented her for.

This case was going to help me prove him wrong.

"Yes, Veronica, I know who he is," I reply patiently. "I told you I had a feeling he was involved with this."

 _I just didn't realize how right I was._

The Seven Deadly Sins. A highly skilled, highly lethal group of thugs. It's not really clear when the gang was formed - even our city's organized crime unit has had little to no progress in tracking them down or gathering intel. Everything we knew came directly from the source - that is, whenever we came across their calling cards at crime scenes. There was no telling just how long their rap sheet really was, but so far; murder, attempted murder, grand larceny, grand theft, arson, and drug trafficking were rumored to be at the top of a very long list. Despite that, the only thing they ever left behind was a simple note with a picture of a dragon eating its tail. There was no actual evidence tying any of their members to any of the crimes they claimed to be responsible for.

There was only one member we had a vague idea of appearence on, and that wasn't the one sitting in the interrogation room.

While we did have a poster that somewhat resembled the blonde, it was in no way tied to the Seven Deadly Sins. The crime on that poster was from a few years ago. We were able to get the description from one of the officers who ended up in critical condition after a vicious run in with him. That misrepresentation of a sketch was all we ever got out of them. No name. Nothing.

We only knew Meliodas as leader of the Sins by word-of-mouth on the street.

The one member we _were_ sure of, was named Ban.

It happened by mere chance. After investigating a random burglary, a child admitted to seeing the culprit. Apparently Ban had told the kid who he was and claimed to be second in command of the notorious gang. That was a year ago. His poster was still hanging on the board - how could we be sure that his picture wasn't wrong too?

My eyes drift over to the blonde in the interrogation room. Even after telling me his name, he's still so at ease. And why wouldn't he be? We couldn't confirm he was who he said he was, and there was no proof to connect him to anything!

 _That's why he was so damn confident earlier!_ I realize with a start. He and his band of… _god, could there really only be seven of them in total?!_ It didn't matter. Seven, twenty, they were all untouchable.

"If he's telling the truth, then this may be our chance to not only dismantle the city's biggest drug cartel, but also it's worst crime syndicate!" I explain to my team. With the Seven Deadly Sins involved, this case just became ten times more dangerous - if that was even possible. I couldn't let an opportunity like this pass us by, despite Veronica's obvious disdain for it.

"He's got to realize that by helping us, he's only opening himself up to being caught. What makes you think he'll cooperate?" Howzer comments. And he has a point.

"I have to make him trust me. Make him think I won't turn them in when all is said and done."

Veronica groaned and I could see the disgust on her face in her muted reflection, "Right. Elle the tell-all is going to convince a crime boss that she isn't all about the law. You couldn't even fake a smile at the club last night. You're not suited for this."

The directness and complete lack of support had me baffled. I turned to watch her cross her arms, "I was the one to convince Dad to let you on the force. I can convince him that you weren't serious about this whole mess. You can keep your job, alright?"

"To what end?!" I yell back, feeling my control slipping from me once more with each passing word, "You do that and he'll throw me back to desk duty for sure - or worse!"

She shrugs, unfazed by my anger, "And maybe that's where you belong, Ellie. Trust me, you just don't have-"

Something inside me snapped. My own flesh-and-blood didn't even have my back… But that didn't mean I had to stand here and take her abuse. "THIS is MY case." I roar over her, effectively silencing her, "I am the lead on this investigation. The chief has already given me permission to do as I see fit on it. If you don't like that, you can transfer to another task force."

There was a long silence between the two of us, the tension palpable, until Veronica scoffed and left the room.

"That's a bit harsh, don't you think El?" Howzer comments with an audible sigh. "She's just trying to help."

"Well I don't need her help," I snap at him. _Not this time._ In truth, Veronica has been helping me out for far too long and while I appreciate her sisterly need to look out for me, I'm more than frustrated by it. Her words about getting me on the force _stung_.

Finally he takes his eyes off the glass. That normally easy going smile is set into a tight line. "You can't do this alone."

I mull over the statement. "I don't want to. But I will if I have to."

He sighs heavily, his shoulders slumping back into that relaxed posture I know so well. "You know I got your back, El," he smiles. "Besides, you'd be totally lost without my help!"

I laugh lightly and offer him my thanks. "Of course, Howzer, thank you."

Howzer and I have been friends for as long as I can remember. If it hadn't been for him I may not have even made it through school. His positive attitude was sometimes the only thing that kept me going when I felt like breaking down. He _has_ always had my back. It was by mere chance that we ended up in the same precinct. Or maybe my father's interference, I never asked. If he did pull some strings to get Howzer here, I, for once, wasn't going to complain about it.

"So what's your plan here?" The blonde redirects his attention back to the room.

I'm thinking on that very question when I notice the stack of open, fanned out files sitting on the table sitting between us and the glass. In all the back-and-forth with Veronica, I hadn't even realized Howzer had brought the case files in with him - but retrospect tells me this isn't exactly a new habit. He once told me that bringing the files in the observation room, helped him think of the victims. Of _why_ it was so important we close each case as fast as we could.

The first one is open to a police report with pictures clipped to the folder. One of the newest crime scenes we'd come across in connection with the drugs and gang we were trying to dismantle. The kid had been fifteen. His body had gone three days subjected to the elements before it had been found. The pictures were enough to make me rethink wanting to get breakfast when all of this was said and done.

I remember the anguish in his mother's face and wails when we had informed her of his death. And he wasn't the only one. There were no fewer than twelve other confirmed deaths attributed to this damn drug - another six unconfirmed. Our contacts in the field said that dealers were calling it XGEN; meaning new generation. A drug that was supposed to make you faster, stronger, smarter… all it was really doing was killing people.

But apparently client death isn't nearly as bad for business as it should have been as XGEN continued to flood the streets. People keep dying… mother's keep wailing for the loss of loved ones...

I step up to my longtime partner, taking a long moment to remind myself why this is so important. It wasn't just about my career… it was about the victims and their families looking for closure. With that in mind, I feel my resolve solidify and my eyes lock on the man named Meliodas in the room beyond the glass. "Let's hear what he has to say first. Then we can go from there."

"Don't agree with anything, right away," he advises. "We don't need him to think he holds all the cards."

"Even if he does?" I deadpan rhetorically, giving Howzer a sidelong grin for pointing out the obvious. The banter with him is always calming. Reminding me to enjoy the small doses of laughter when I can because God knows in this line of work, it's easy to forget about the bright side.

He laughs, a smile on his face. "Well he doesn't need to know that!"

I push his shoulder lightly. "I'll be sure to not let him know." I move towards the door.

"I'll be right here."

"I know you will." I give him an appreciative smile before adding, "Otherwise you'd be doing paperwork."

"Ugh," he groans, "Don't remind me. I have a huge stack waiting on my desk. I hate paperwork."

I leave the room and head back towards Meliodas. A hundred thousand possible scenarios playing in my head, and I come up with answers for all of them.

However, the moment I open the interrogation room door, Meliodas' bright smile is on me again, as if to say ' _welcome back'_ and despite the advice of my friend and partner still watching on the other side of the mirror, my next words flew right from my mouth without a second thought.

"So, about those other conditions?" I asked, my own grin spreading, feeling a flare of rebelliousness igniting my blood.

I could practically feel the facepalm Howzer was doing on the other side.

* * *

A/N:

Dom: Hey Luv! Let's play good cop, bad cop! I'll be the bad cop!

Luv: … I think it's pretty obvious who would be who here…

Dom: Oh you really think so punk?! TELL ME WHAT YOU'RE HIDING!

Luv: If I tell you… you promise to put the whips away? You're scaring the readers… and me...

Dom: THE READERS CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!

Luv: ...Anyways… Next time on Don't Trust Me! Elizabeth makes a daring move to crack her case! But meetings in abandoned districts usually only lead to one thing. In the next chapter, sketchy vans and blindfolds! Will Elizabeth be able to handle Meliodas' conditions? And who the hell smells like booze so early in the day?

Luv: *whispers* I told you to leave the whips at home this time. It's too early in the story for that.

Dom: YOU'RE UNDER ARREST!

Luv: ... And that's all we have time for today… See ya next chapter!


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"I can't believe I'm doing this," I mumble to myself as I pace back and forth in an old abadoned district.

Meliodas' demands had been simple enough. _Pardon me and my friends and we'll make sure you get what you need to pin down the people you're really after._ His voice replays in my mind. He spoke with such confidence.

He didn't expect me volunteering myself to go undercover with him.

A sense of pride calms my steps and a smug smile works onto my face. The split second of utter bewilderment that crossed that carefree attitude had been more than rewarding enough. Even if I got my ass chewed out by Howzer, Veronica and my father after. The finer details worked out and I was able to convince my long time friend that there was no guarantee to get the Sins to come back unless I went with them.

There was a huge risk with this whole plan. The biggest currently being; _What if he doesn't show up?_

Meliodas gave me a set of coordinates to meet him at in a day. He said, _let's both get a few things ready,_ with a bright grin. _Oh and don't forget to pack a bag._

One glance around the abandoned shipping crates had all of my red flags flying. It was an old ship-yard, a place shipping containers went to die. Something about that notion creeped me out.

"Yo, Elizabeth!"

I spun around to find the blonde walking towards me - having appeared from one of the many paths leading to this spot, that ever present smile on his face. His hands were in his pockets as he approached me. My mind immediately jumped to worst case scenario.

I braced myself as Meliodas removed his hand from his pocket, pulling with it a black sash.

He must have noticed my sudden alertness because he laughed and waved the fabric around like it was part of some magic show, "No worries, just a blindfold."

"Blindfold?" I'm starting to get really skeptical about all of this…

"Yeah. Sorry, you understand, right? We're not quite close enough yet for you to know our secret hide-out." He shrugs, like this is middle-school again. Exactly how old was this guy?

That being said, despite every alarm in my head telling me this was a terrible idea, I did understand, and I let him tie the opaque cloth over my eyes. He was being rightfully cautious. I'd be more suspicious if he wasn't.

The next thing I knew, there was a warm hand grabbing mine and pulling me along. The initial contact was… strange. It sent a jolt up my spine in the weirdest way. I ignored it though, in favor of counting our steps and the turns he had us taking.

 _68...69...70… right turn, then a sharp left. Another 10 steps…_ then we stopped. I waited, listened. I could still hear the traffic from the expressway that I had taken to get to the docks. I could still hear the water, smell the salt in the air. We hadn't gone very far.

"Sorry, Princess, but no more counting for you." Meliodas' light, jovial voice cut through the darkness and I was suddenly off my feet falling - no - being pushed. I landed on something rather soft though, and then the sounds around me were cut off by the sound of a heavy metal sliding car door shutting behind me.

"Took you long enough boss!" I heard an unfamiliar voice slur loudly, and I could smell the overwhelming stench of booze. What the hell?!

"Ban, get the hell out of the driver's seat, you wasted bastard…" Meliodas' voice was present again and I hated how relieved that made me feel. I shouldn't have been relieved at all. I was blindfolded in the back of a vehicle bound for god only knew where. Silver lining: at least he wasn't selling me off to someone. Yet.

 _He said boss…_ the realization hit me like a ton of bricks. The man had called Meliodas boss and he in turn called the man Ban… I was in a vehicle with two of the Sins?!

I couldn't help myself, slowly, I reached up to move the blindfold.

"I wouldn't do that." Yet another unfamiliar voice, and he was even closer to me. Sitting in the back to make sure I behaved? "Boss, I don't get why I have to sit back here with the girl."

I could smell the wafting cloud of booze suddenly hit me, so I assume Ban turned to look back at whoever was sitting next to me, "Because~ You're too damn short to be good for anything else King~" He cackled, and the one he called King grumbled something about being taller than Meliodas under his breath.

I had been so distracted that once the two of them went silent, I noticed that the car had already been moving. I was already lost. No idea how long we'd been driving or what direction. I cursed myself internally, relenting to just learn as much as I could on the drive.

Was King another sin?

"She's prettier than I thought she'd be, being a pig and all," the voice belonging to Ban stated. "Too much boob though."

"Can you _not_ make that gesture?" King comments drily.

My mouth drops open, all concentration I'd managed to focus on the turns falling at the brass statement. Did Ban just… insult my chest? "Excuse me?"

"You're excused," he responds. He takes an audible whiff off the air and his voice lowers slightly. "Not sure what she's excusing herself for… I don't smell nuthin…"

Meliodas chuckles from where I can only assume is the driver's seat. "I think she was referring to you talking about her boobs."

"Oh… well they are big."

King mumbles something under his breath yet again. This time I can't catch it. I'm way too mortified to even concentrate on where the _hell_ the car is going or care to pay attention to what the man next to me said.

"Wanna repeat that, King?" Meliodas cheery voice fills the car.

"... no."

Ban snickers. "Don't think he needs to repeat himself. We all know his preference."

My face feels warm under the blindfold. Why is it so warm in this damn car?

"Speaking of," Meliodas steps into the conversation, "did you remind her to close down shop for the day?"

"Yes, Boss," the man next to me replies. "Told her again before we left."

The stench of booze fills the car yet again as Ban laughs. "Was that before or after the two of you-"

"Hey!" King's voice cancels out his. "Let's not play that game right now, alright?"

Ban snorts, "I'm sure the lady doesn't mind."

"Yeah, well I do!" King stubbornly replies.

I'm half tempted to ask what the two of them are talking about. The other half wants to sink down farther into the soft leather and pretend I'm not here. I shake myself out of it. I'm here because of a job. I need to pay attention to everything that they say.

"We're suppose to be keeping her occupied."

"That doesn't mean we need to talk about-"

"Guys," Meliodas interrupts the twos' spat with a chuckle. "You did your job so keep it down a bit would ya?"

"Sorry Boss," they both mumble together.

"Wait…" I think it over. "You _wanted_ me to listen?" My accusing tone is only for Meliodas and must be apparent as he answers.

"Well sure, I told you no more counting, didn't I, Princess?"

I can practically hear that smug smile.

"Princess?" King spoke. "Does it have to be that?"

"We can't very well go around calling her by her actual name, now can we?" Meliodas answers lightly.

"No, a code name makes sense. But," the man next to me pauses. "Does it have to be Princess?" he repeats himself.

Ban cackles. "What? You worried people are gunna associate her with you, _King?_ Maybe they'll think she's your daughter!" The drunkard continues to chortle.

"Doubtful," Meliodas chimes in, effectively squashing Ban's suggestion. Thank god. I have no idea who this King character is, but Ban's suggestion painted a picture of my own father sitting next to me, scolding me if I fail. Not something I needed to be reminded of. "How much did you let him drink already if he's making suggestions like that?"

King snorts. "As if I could stop him from drinking even if I cared to."

"You probably should."

"Being his babysitter all the time gets tiring," he sighs heavily.

Meliodas chuckles in response. "But you're so good at it!" King groans. "At least he sleeps like a baby when he has too much booze."

"Is that why he's so quiet all of a sudden?" I mumble under my breath, but my voice carries in the small cabin.

Laughter fills the car.

"About the only time he is," King confirms.

This was all very cute and all… but I was supposed to be undercover. This was all supposed to lead up to Meliodas helping me close my case. Being blindfolded and kidnapped wasn't part of the deal, "I know hostages aren't supposed to be demanding, but I'm starting to get a little impatient." I growl out, "You said you'd help me catch the people responsible for releasing 'new generation' and-"

"XGEN." His voice cuts me off, correcting me - and I find I don't much appreciate it. Before I can voice my lack of fucks-to-give, he continues, "No one actually calls it _new generation_." Meliodas chuckles and I hear the tick-tick-tick of the turn signal before we merge to the left, "And you're not a hostage. You can leave any time you'd like. If you're going to do that, though, I'd recommend tucking and rolling."

The inside of my cheek is raw with how hard I keep biting it to keep from going off on this man. My long silence however, is met with a sudden change in tone, "I said I'd help you, and that's what I'm doing, Princess. I'm nothing if not a man of my word." There's another shift of the car to the right this time, and then I have to brace myself, grabbing cold metal to keep from sliding as the vehicle turns right.

"But I can't help you from just anywhere." He finishes, and I can read between the lines. He's asking me to have some patience. Humor him.

Easier said than done. I'm a cop, blindfolded in the back seat of a vehicle being driven by the boss of a notorious crime syndicate… Patience and humor are in short supply.

But a flash of the stack of case files in my head, and the images of mothers and families wailing makes me think I can find it in me to hold out.

I sigh, allowing some of that pent up aggravation to ease away. "Alright, fine. Point made." I concede.

"Good." He replies, and that damned grin is in his voice now. I could _hear_ it. I don't get long to ponder on how much I hate it before the vehicle comes to a very sudden stop - making me tumble forward.

"DAMNIT BOSS! I WAS SLEEPIN!" Ban groans. I'm pretty sure I heard him hit the dash at about the same time I had to keep from hitting the floor.

"Should have been wearing a seatbelt…" King retorts quietly, but there was a hint of satisfaction in his voice that was undeniable.

"What the hell?!" I yell, pushing back up onto my knees, just about ready to yank the blindfold off my face to strangle Meliodas with it, "Why the fuck would you do that?!"

He hums nonchalantly, like nothing was wrong, like I was the strange one for being so angry, "Cause we're here."

* * *

Dom: *hands luv a blindfold* here, you wear this, and I'll guide you through this maze.

Luv: …. Uh…. I don't think I wanna play...

Dom: oh come on! It'll be fun!

Luv: That's what you said last time. I'm still recovering. Hide and seek in the dark wasn't as much fun as you said it would be.

Dom: It was fun for me! *sighs* fine. I'll wear the blindfold and you can guide me, then. *puts on blindfold and starts wandering away*

Luv: A little to the left! *Dom runs into a wall* Ops, I meant the other left.. Right! *Dom runs into a chair* Huh… guess I'm not so good with directions. But you're right! This _is_ fun! Ha! Get it? _Right_? *laughs at her own horrible joke*

Dom: *pulls blindfold off with another sigh and a shake of her head* ...Next time on Don't Trust Me: Elizabeth finds herself in the sin's base of operations, but can it really be called a secret when half the city seems to know the place by name? A change of clothes, a new name, and a new profession: goodbye Elizabeth and hello Princess! But how does a new uniform help solve a case? And do pigtails really bring better tips?

Luv: *watches Dom walk away* did you get it? Cause right is a direction? *chases after Dom.* Get it?

Dom: *groans at the terrible pun* … see you all in the next chapter!


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

My mouth opened as I eyed the building in front of me speculatively. I took a breath, prepared to let all the questions building in my throat out in one long exhale, but found myself snapping it shut once more. Nothing I could possibly ask could adequately sate my morbid curiosity and confusion.

"I didn't break you, did I?" Meliodas' voice cuts through the millions of questions racing through my head and I glance over to see him watching me - no doubt entertained by my reaction after having pulled the blindfold from my eyes.

"... a bar?" I hated how incredulous I sounded. How many times was I going to let this jack-ass blind-side me?

"Yep! Welcome to my place, Princess," Meliodas makes a grand gesture to the building. Hanging by the front doors swayed an engraved sign that read ' _Boar Hat'_. What the hell is a boar hat? "This is where we'll be staying until we get your shit sorted." He beamed, pulling my attention away from the odd name.

I eyed the _bar_ again suspiciously. It looked like a complete dump - like someone had set up shop in an old abandoned grocery store and was trying to pass it off as a functioning business. It was surrounded by shitholes on the right and left, smack dab in the middle of 'the wrong part of town'. Why anyone in their right mind would come to this place for a drink was beyond me. And what was worse was that in the time that the department had known about the Sins, not once had anyone found this place? Was the entire force completely incompetent?

He slipped his hand in mine and once again I was struck by the strangeness, not to mention forwardness, of his actions. It was so… casual. Intimate even.

"The place should be cleared out by now. King's parking the car and Ban is supervising. Though I think his drunk ass just wasn't ready to walk," he chuckled as he tugged me along. "Downside of the base being a bar, I suppose. We get drunk _a lot_." That last comment had a hint of pride behind it.

"Your base… _is a bar?_ " I furrow my brows as I repeat my question. I'm still dumbstruck by the sheer ridiculousness of it. There's no way that a powerhouse group like the Seven Deadly Sins operated out of this dingy shack. I've seen drug dealers with better digs.

He throws a cheeky grin over his shoulder. "Sure is, Princess."

"Thought you were going to start calling me by my name."

Meliodas hums as he places a hand on the door. "Pretty sure I said I'd call you Princess _or_ Elizabeth. Just figured Princess would be better for now." He quirks a brow at me, smile still resting on his features. "Unless you want everyone to know _who you are_?"

 _Was that a threat?_ I frown as I watch him, choosing to remain silent instead of arguing further.

"Well," the blonde pushes the door open. "Let's introduce you to the-" he stops, face blanking as he eyes the packed bar.

"Meliodas!" The voices cheer.

"The Boss is back!" someone shouts.

"Who's that Mel?"

"She's awfully pretty." Someone else shouts from further back before a chorus of catcalls and whistles erupted out. I have never been so aware of my v-neck tee-shirt as I am right now, and I can already feel my face start to heat up, but quickly fight the flush that threatens to overwhelm my complexion.

 _Seven - yeah right! There's gotta be fifty people here easy! Are all of them Sins?_

Suddenly Meliodas lets go of my hand only to wrap an arm around my waist. "Yo everyone. This is my new girlfriend. Feel free to call her Princess." The wide grin answers all the questioning glances.

I'm stunned. _His girlfriend?_ I stared at him before the wink he sends me shakes me out of my daze.

"I am _not_ your girlfriend." I growl out through teeth clenched so tight my jaw starts to ache from the pressure.

Instead of responding to me he merely turns to the crowd, arm still around my waist. He makes a show of rolling his eyes and chuckles. "Princess is a bit shy, so don't bug her, got it?"

Sounds of acknowledgment echo through the bar and then just like that, everyone's back to their drinking.

A barely audible sigh passed his lips. "Damnit Di," he mumbles and pulls me along with him towards the bar. Weaving our way around tables full of men and women alike, all of whom look like they might break me in half at first word of my profession.

Despite the crowd, I'm able to take stock of the area. It's much nicer than it appeared from the outside. Hard wood floors and walls that are a combination of wood panel and stone, like a rustic wine cellar. Against the far wall near the bar were aging barrels stacked to the exposed metal rafters above, which were wrapped in lights that gave the room a warm glow. Alright, so even I had to admit this place was a gem - a real diamond in the rough, and apparently it's charms were not wasted on the groups of bikers who seemed to be regulars here.

"Di," Meliodas called as we continued to weave our way towards the large counter that made up the entire back wall of the open tavern, it's wooden shelves stocked with every brand and type of alcohol imaginable. He frowns slightly, as no one calls back. "Diane!"

"Yes boss?" A young brunette, pigtails swinging dangerously as she popped up from behind the counter, answered with wide eyes.

"Didn't King tell you to close up?" He asked her as we finally find ourselves standing at the bar counter.

Her face fell for a second before she directed her attention to placing three large beer mugs under their respective spigots and pulling all three levers, filling each to perfection without so much as a bat of an eye. "I tried! People wouldn't stop coming in and ordering drinks and I know how you hate it when we turn away customers!" She spun back around and her amethyst eyes are shining with unshed tears. "I'm really sorry!"

There's another audible sigh from the blonde as he looked out at the crowd in contemplation, "Well, nothing we can do about it now," Meliodas stated. He looked at me with a questioning gaze. "Know anything about waiting tables?"

 _That's a joke, right?_

Before I can even respond, Diane's already talking again, all traces of tears gone. "Is this her?" She holds out a hand to me, "Hiya! I'm Diane or Di for short." She winked.

"Uh," I take her hand uncertainly. Is this woman just a worker, or another Sin? "Elizabeth."

"But call her Princess in front of the customers, alright?" Meliodas swiftly added in a hushed tone.

"Sure thing, boss," she nodded and smiled kindly at me. "Nice to meet you, _Princess_." She giggled. "I have a spare uniform if you're going to be waiting tables with me."

 _Wait… so… not a joke?_

"Go ahead and grab it," Meliodas answered for me. "I'll take this, what table was it?" He finally removed his arm from my waist to take the tray from her.

"Table five. Wait here, I'll be right back," she tells me.

And just like that, I'm alone - not even a chance to argue. I use the opportunity to casually study the bar and it's occupants. _The Seven Deadly Sins,_ the name of Meliodas' ruthless gang runs through my head. _But who in this bar is a member? Or are all of them?_ Maybe everyone down at the precinct had it wrong. The self proclaimed title of Seven Deadly Sins, was just that, a title. Not the actual amount of members.

 _And I just willingly walked into their lair. Alone._

A chill runs up my spine at the thought. Alone suddenly had an entirely different meaning for me. I could feel it. Suffocating - sapping the air out of my lungs.

"Here ya go!" A chipper voice breaks me out of my thoughts. I find the owner to be Daine. "If you want, there's no one in the break-room right now, you can change there." She points to a door behind the bar.

I gingerly accept the outstretched clothes. One look at the small pink top and I cling it to my chest as if she had just passed me lingerie and I was afraid everyone in the bar would see it. "I can't wear this!" I hiss.

Diane frowns, "why not?"

What she's wearing finally registers in my mind and it's just as I feared. She's wearing a pink crop top. My frown matches hers as I reply, "it's hardly appropriate."

"Appropriate?" The brunette quirks a brow. She then giggles as she says, "we're waiting tables - in a bar no less. I think this uniform is suited just fine for that."

"Or shows that your boss is a total perv," I mumble under my breath, shooting the man in question a glare from across the bar.

"Aren't all men?" Daine snorts with a wide smile as she tilts her head, pigtails falling over her shoulders.

For the first time since this whole ordeal started, a small giggle passes my lips.

"There's a laugh!" she beams. "I was hoping you wouldn't be a super stick in the mud," she sticks her tongue out teasingly as she winks. "I know these uniforms aren't exactly ideal but trust me," she leans in close to whisper. "You'll get really good tips."

I can't help but chuckle again. The absurdity of working at a bar frequented by questionable clientele while I'm supposed to be hunting down criminals is too much. I smile at Diane, thankful that at least someone _normal_ happens to be in this bar. I can't let myself get too close to her, but having someone to talk to besides Meliodas is reassuring.

"Hey slackers!"

 _Speak of the devil,_ my smile dips as Meliodas' approaches the bar.

"We're not slacking," Diane argues. "I just got her the uniform. Are King and Ban back yet? There's been people wanting to order food."

"Should be back any minute now, just putting the car away," the blonde answered her vaguely.

"Gotcha," she nods. She turns back to me and says, "come find me when you're changed, alright Princess?"

"Okay." I respond and Diane disappears into the crowd. I round on Meliodas. "How exactly do you expect me to work here?"

"Well, I'd suggest taking orders and then fulfilling them, but that's just how I like to run the place," he shrugs and the sarcastic tone to his words is not wasted on me.

I ignore him and hold up the pink shirt and small skirt, "wearing _this_?"

"It's the tavern uniform."

"You call _this_ a uniform?" I hold it up to my chest, the disgust for the outfit is all over my face, "It's like a costume straight out of the playboy mansion or something," I hiss lowly.

A smile plays on his lips. "Had to get the inspiration from somewhere."

My jaw unhinges for a second before I regain my bearings. "This is not appropriate attire for a waitress to wear. It shows way too much skin! And this is a bar! Shouldn't everyone be walking around in leather pants or something."

"Ah, ah, ah Princess," he shakes a finger at me in mock disappointment. It'd be a lot easier to believe if he didn't have such a large grin on his face. "I really don't like to label the people that walk into my fine establishment here. There isn't really a _theme_ to speak for so the workers wear whatever I want them too."

"You're a perv."

Meliodas shrugs, "I mean, if you don't like it, you could always go back to your _department_."

I chew on the inside of my cheek, repeating _I will not shoot this asshole_ in my head. "You know, it's illegal to blackmail an officer of the law." I state low under my breath so he was the only one who could hear it.

He doesn't respond to my statement, instead his grin renews as he suggests, "you should go get changed. Diane doesn't have much patience."

I frown, both annoyed with his lack of respect for my stature as an officer and finding it hard to believe that such a sweet girl like Diane would get upset. At anything, really.

 _CRASH!_

Both of us turn to find a tray of drinks on the ground. A table of men laughing while the rest of the bar is eerily silent. All eyes are on Daine as she spins towards the chortling men.

"Alright, you got one chance bozos," she speaks in the same sweet cadence she had when talking to me earlier, contradicting the look of murder on her features. "I know you're new in here, so let me fill you in on the number-one rule of the bar: _NEVER_ touch the waitresses. Now," she cracks a knuckle, a terrifyingly sugary smile on her face - one that radiated the fury of a woman scorned. "Which one of you idiots, touched me? Come clean, and I won't throw your asses out."

"Ah, come on sweet cheeks," one of the men spoke up. "Wes was just having a little fun," he slurs.

Diane punches him square in the nose. The guy falls to the ground in a heap of pain.

My eyes widen at the display.

"You need to redefine your definition of fun," Daine suggests as she pulls back her fist.

"H-hey!" Another man at the table yells, him and his group having jumped from their seats. "What the hell do you think you're doing!?"

Diane frowns. "Putting an asshole in his place. Wanna join him?"

"You really think you can take the three of us all at once girly?" A man with black hair questions tauntingly, squaring up to Diane in an attempt to intimidate her.

I can see where this is going. I instinctively reach for the holster hidden under my jacket, only to find a hand on my wrist. Instantly I know it's Meliodas.

"Let me help her," I whisper.

He snorts. "Trust me, she isn't the one that needs help here. Besides, pull that gun and you'll blow your cover. Your chance to crack that case of yours, poof - up in smoke." I glare down at him to find that somewhere along the way he had grabbed a mug of beer. He casually takes a sip, eyeing the scene with lazy interest. "Glad King isn't back. Don't feel like dealing with _that_ mess."

"King? What does he have to do with this?" I'm completely flabbergasted at his lack of concern for one of his workers.

"Hmm?" He hums as if forgetting I was even there. His green eyes land on me. "Oh, the two of them are dating."

"Oh," I glance at Diane and then back to Meliodas. "So Diane is the one all of you were talking about in the car?"

He grins. "Put that together, did you?"

Another smack of flesh against flesh.

I whip around, another one of the men is a pile of limbs on the floor. Diane's standing there casually, a hand on her popped out hip. A bored expression on her face.

"Look, can ya guys just leave? You're not much of a fight and I have other things to do," she explains as her other hand gestures around the room. The bar responds with calls of agreeance. "See?" She taunts the men. "So just scram."

The men from the rowdy table get up to leave.

Diane sighs as she hunches down to clean up the mess, her back to the men.

One of them grasps a bottle, clearly wanting to cause her harm. My eyes go wide as I open my mouth to yell.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Meliodas suggests. I had been so focused on the hooligan that I hadn't seen Meliodas move through the crowd to stand between Diane and her attacker. He has a death grip on the man's arm, forcing him to drop the makeshift weapon. "See, I'm all for a good brawl, but attacking someone when their back is turned? One of my waitresses at that?" A far too innocent smile plays at the blonde's lips. "Do you have a death wish?"

"N-n-no!" The man stutters, tugging at his arm uselessly, his fingers turning a sickening pale white from the lack of blood-flow.

The man cries out as Meliodas' hold on his arm tightens. "You're lucky you caught me in a good mood today," he lets go of his prisoner. "Also pretty lucky her boyfriend isn't here."

"Boss!" Diane interjects, a blush on her cheeks.

" _He_ wouldn't have been so nice," Meliodas stresses his point even as he sends Diane a teasing smile. She merely huffs and crosses her arms. "Now," he directs his attention back to the men. "Get out. If I ever see you at this bar again, you're dead," he said with a cheeky grin.

Goosebumps erupt on my skin. Despite the expression on Meliodas' face, I can feel the malice behind his words.

 _So this is the leader of the Seven Deadly Sins._

* * *

Dom: Hey Luv! I had the best idea! We should make up cool code names for each other!

Luv: *Long confused pause* … don't we already have code names?

Dom: Yes. But I mean even cooler names than we already have. Something that describes us to a 'T'. But the best part is no one will ever know who we're talking about!

Luv: I'm not even sure what we're talking about half the time… New code names? My memory isn't so great ya know?

Dom: It'll be fine! Like… *stares at Luv deep in thought* … I got it! You're code name would be "Blushing messy bun that hides behind desk"! *Smiles triumphantly*

Luv: Oh ha ha. That's a bit long for a codename don't you think? Aren't they suppose to be short and to the point? Like…. "Rambling Wine" *giggles*

Dom: *Pouts… then grins like a cheshire cat* Oh, I see! So is "Obsessive KING-pulsive" better? *Huge grin and a suggestive wiggle of the brow*

Luv: … Next Time on Don't Trust Me: Elizabeth starts to see the many sides of the Sin boss - perhaps even a side she wasn't expecting. And before she has time to recover, it's time for her first shift as a waitress. But that's not all. It's time to get some answers.

Dom: *Shrugs* I thought it was clever. But I suppose you can't get much cooler than our names. I mean, they already describe us so well.

Luv: I'm taking your "great idea" privileges away. *turns to leave, ignoring the wide-eyed look on Dom's face* See everyone in the next chapter!

Dom: *chases after Luv* Noooooooo! I didn't mean it! Come back! I love you!


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

No sooner had the men scrambled out the door, do two more men walk in.

The pair shoot scowls at the group as they bump into them. The extremely tall white haired man - looking every bit the punk thug in his worn tee, torn Jean jacket and red leather pants - looks to be contemplating chasing after them. But the weirdly contrasting younger (and shorter) prep-school looking man, wearing a large navy jacket over a pale yellow sweater with a light blue plaid button up underneath, tugs him into the bar instead. They walk right up to Meliodas and Diane.

"What got those guys' panties in a twist?" the white haired man asks, his voice familiar.

Diane frowns, "one of them grabbed my ass as I was walking by."

"They WHAT?!" The shorter one shouts and now he's the one darting for the door.

The tall one holds him in place by the hood of his oversized jacket. "Really?~" The man drawls, a wicked smile on his lips.

"Yep!" Meliodas chirps, hands folded behind his head. "Di took out two before they made to leave."

"And then the jackasses tried to attack her from behind," I add and the group of four turn to me. I fidget.

The tall one lets out a low whistle as he leans forward to study me. "Almost forgot about you," his smirk grows as he says, "whaddya think of our place, Princess?"

I frown, raising a questioning brow at him, "do I know you?"

"Ah," he straightens, hands sliding into his pocket as he regards me. "I'm hurt that you would forget me so soon~"

"But I've never-" I stop, eyes widening with realization as the stench of booze wafts off him. "...Ban." Suddenly, my eyes are narrowing on him further. This is the one who had commented on my breasts, and the memory of that has renewed the acid taste in my mouth.

The white haired man beams. "You do remember me after all!" He places an elbow atop the man's head who he walked in with. The younger man scowls up at him, but Ban pays him no mind. "I was almost worried that you were a complete ditz. All looks, no brain."

"The same could be said about you," the ginger growls as he shoves Ban off.

"So you _do_ think I'm pretty?~" Ban taunts with a large grin.

The ginger rolls his eyes. He holds out his hand and offers me a small smile, "nice to meet you officially, Princess."

"You must be King," I eye his hand cautiously. This is the one who sat in the back of the car with me. He _seems_ to be okay. Ban hadn't been lying when he said the man was short. Not sure how the white haired buffoon thought we could be mistaken for father and daughter. Siblings maybe. His youthful appearance rivals that of Meliodas.

My eyes shift to him. The blonde bar owner is watching me converse with his lackeys. An amused smile tugs at his lips. I look back to King.

"And you're dating Diane?" I ask as I finally take his hand.

Red crashes across the man's cheeks so much that I feel I may have said something incorrect. I open my mouth to apologize only to stop as Diane throws her arms around King from behind.

"Mhmm," she hums with a happy smile.

The brunette places a soft kiss to the ginger haired man's cheek and his knees buckle. She giggles and the bar laughs. The patrons have been extremely patient with this whole scenario. Aren't Diane and Meliodas the only workers? Shouldn't they be upset at this display and lack of service?

"You'll have to excuse King," Diane explains with an affectionate glance at the puddle of a man on the floor. "We just started dating a few weeks ago. He's still not used to it."

Ban snorts before taking a swig of his mug. "You two have been making goo-goo eyes at each other for a lot longer than that."

Diane pinks, but doesn't deny his claim.

"Surprised King even had the balls to ask you out in the first place," Ban continues.

"Hey!" Diane huffs on behalf of the man on the floor. "It's not like everything falls on his shoulders! I coulda asked him out too."

The white haired man chortles. "Then I really woulda made fun of him."

"There's nothing wrong with a girl asking a guy out!" Diane argued taking a step over her boyfriend. The poor man on the floor had just about been ready to get up too before she did so. Now he's back in puddle form.

"How about we get to back to work," Meliodas interrupts what looks to be the start of a brawl between Diane and Ban. The words _sound_ like a suggestion, but, the tone was unmistakable. It's a command.

"Yes, boss," the two respond.

Diane pulls King off the ground and he helps her clean up the mess the hooligans made. Ban slips behind the bar and through another door. I'm assuming it leads to the kitchen. A hand on my wrist pulls me out of my observing.

"Let's go get you outta those clothes and into that uniform," Meliodas beams up at me. He tugs gently and I find myself staring.

The blonde glances over his shoulder and blinks innocently. "What's up?"

"I can find a place to change on my own."

He studies me for a second before he chuckles. "Think I'll just lead the way. Don't need you snooping about my bar this early in the game, Princess." He grins smugly, somehow figuring out exactly what I had wanted to do. I guess it was a fair assumption - if the tables were turned I know I would have done the same to him.

We follow the bar's counter all the way to the wall, and down a corridor hidden behind the barrels stacked on the wall. Down this hall there is a set of stairs that lead up one flight, then twist around another corner. We head to the stairs and he throws a, "be back in a few," over his shoulder to the nearest worker, King.

"Don't take too long," he eyes us suspiciously before dumping the mess left by the men in the nearby garbage.

Meliodas makes no comment and just laughs.

We climb the metal staircase up and follow the hall to stop at the first along the hall. He unlocks it, pushing it open so that he can wave me in. "Here," he says, waiting for me to enter and turn back to him. "Get changed quick. We're gunna be real busy soon."

And then he shuts the door.

Alone again, but this time it's welcome. I needed a moment to myself - to collect my thoughts, to breathe. I glance around the room and find that it's actually pretty spacious, with furniture - the vast majority of which were covered with white sheets. I glide a finger over one of the uncovered dressers and find a layer of dust. Whoever's room this was, hadn't been here for some time now, and it didn't seem like anyone made a point of keeping it dusted.

 _I wonder who stayed here?_

A quick knock brings me out of my thoughts, "You ready yet?" Meliodas' voice filters through and I start disrobing with a start.

"Y-yeah! I'll be done in a minute!" I yell back.

This whole situation is… peculiar. I've gotten glimpses of Meliodas' supposed title, but that's been it - I hadn't seen anything that even remotely gave me cause to suspect he was a criminal - you know, aside from him kidnapping me. If I didn't know who he was suppose to be, they all easily could have been written off as overly protective. And in the crazy world we live in, no one would have blamed them for being so. Especially on this side of town. More than a few times I'd ended up in an area much like this where the thugs were tough and threatened everything that moved just because they had to in order to survive. It was a way of life for people here. To protect their own.

Is that what happened to Meliodas?

I close the buckle on the leather belt I was given to wear over the tight skirt, then pulled the ridiculously tight pink collared crop-top tee-shirt over my breasts. The damn thing made me look even bustier than I already am! How was that even possible?!

Now I was left with the pile of clothes I had come here in. Immediately, I turn to pull open the uncovered dresser, and place my old clothes inside. I opt to keep on my jacket over the skimpy uniform. Not only to hide all the unnecessary skin showing, but so I can wear my gun and holster as well. Despite Meliodas' words of warning on drawing it, I'd rather be safe than sorry.

I pulled open the door and find Meliodas waiting for me, leaning against the wall directly across the hall. I frown at him. "Are you really so worried I'm going to snoop when you're not watching me?" I can't blame him for his caution. But I can find it annoying.

He doesn't answer right away. Instead his eyes are drinking in my new look. A smirk forms on his lips, and he gives a small nod of approval. "Nice. Legs for days."

I take a swing at him.

He catches my wrist, using my momentum against me to push me against the wall - my chest pressed to the surface as he pinned me there with more strength than I had expected from him. The wrist he had caught, was twisted behind me and secured to the small of my back. I glare at him over my shoulder, completely pissed at the damnable smirk that has only grown at my impulsive action.

"Do you always attack people when they give you compliments?" His voice is gruff but hushed as he tilts his head for me to see his face. He quirks a brow, obviously finding pleasure in our... position.

I'm half tempted to kick him in the nuts. At the same time, I'm fighting the sudden urge to shiver. "In my experience, people don't give compliments unless they want something in return." I spat, with my cheek pressed to the white wall. My heart is hammering in my ears.

"And what is it you think I want from you?" Even more hushed - he's practically whispering in my ear now. His expression has shifted - just with the change of his tone. It's actually… kind of… alluring.

I swallow, but continue to glare at him, "free labor…" I debate saying what most men seem to want from me. Leaving it vague I merely add, "or worse."

He surprises me with a chuckle. "Don't worry, Princess. I won't touch you unless you want me too." He smirks as he releases his hold on me and backs away, allowing me to spin around and face him. He takes a few steps towards the stairs before saying over his shoulder, "don't forget you're my girlfriend, though. Appearances will have to be kept while we're in public."

I'm fuming. "I'm not your girlfriend!" I insist with a childish stomp of my foot.

"When you're here, you are. It's safer that way, _trust_ me." He throws a cheeky grin over his shoulder as he mocks the word I used to him during the interrogation.

 _Now that kind of trust should go both ways,_ my own words swarm in my mind.

"I don't think there's much trust between us right now," I repeat his reply back to him.

An amused crinkle forms at his eyes as he pauses long enough to glance back to me, allowing himself one last sweep down my form. "That's probably for the best anyways, dontcha think, Princess?" He walks down the stairs, waving at me to follow him, leaving me standing there staring at him.

Despite his… let's call it 'jovial' nature, the last of his words stuck to me like a warning. Yeah, I guess trusting a career criminal would probably be detrimental to my health - not to mention my career.

The next few hours pass in a blur. I never realized that waiting tables could be so taxing. Not to mention I was absolutely terrible at it. I got orders wrong, tripped over my own feet, spilled on customers and made a mess of the floor more than a few times. Despite all of that, the patrons and fellow workers, King and Ban joining the fray along with Diane and Meliodas, were nothing but kind and patient. I have no idea if it was because of my looks, their own generosity or the simple lie Meliodas insisted on being a truth;

 _Princess is my girlfriend._

That appalling sentence is engraved in my mind. Anytime someone new came in, Meliodas would repeat the lie. It didn't take long for it to stick. Not a single person questioned him on it.

By the time the tavern closed, I was exhausted. I collapsed in a chair by the bar. Diane smiled sweetly as she slid a plate of food and a mug of beer in front of me.

"Here ya go! Some food will make you feel better." She chimed. It smelled heavenly and a drink sounded oh so tempting. "You didn't do too bad for your first day."

My brows furrowed. "You're kidding. I was horrendous!"

She shrugged, "you got _some_ stuff right."

I give her a flat stare. If this was her idea of consoling me, it wasn't working.

"It was your first time waiting tables, course you're gunna mess up," Diane shakes her head with a soft giggle. "Though I gotta say, I was expecting a bit more grace given your… _previous_ line of work."

" _That_ doesn't require grace. Just fast reflexes." I mumble as I try to suppress a blush by taking a swig of the mug in front of me. The liquid is a bit stronger than what I'd normally drink and I sputter a bit as I put it back down.

"Oh, I shoulda asked what you wanted," the brunette frowns. "Sorry, I just gave you what the rest of us drink." She holds up her own mug and takes a drink. A refreshing sigh leaves her lips.

"It's fine." I stare at the food and wonder if I should eat it.

"It's not poisoned."

I snap my eyes up to meet Diane's mirthful grin. "If we were going to do that, we woulda just put it in your drink."

My mouth drops.

"Kidding!" She laughed. "This ale is from the same barrel we all drink out of. We wouldn't waste the good stuff by poisoning it."

Her statement does little to relieve my worries.

"You shouldn't joke about that, Diane," King's voice joined the conversation. He drops into a seat at the counter, not far from me. "She's in an unfamiliar place with people like us, she's going to take it seriously."

Part of his sentence jumped out at me. "People, like us?"

The ginger haired man tilted his head and looked at me. He sighed heavily and called out, "Boss. You take this one."

"Wouldn't have had to if you could keep your mouth shut," Meliodas rolled his eyes as he appeared by King's side. He punches the other man lightly in the shoulder. "Maybe I wasn't going to tell her."

"Given the situation, you kind of have to," King responded and rubs his shoulder with a frown. "Assumed you did already," the ginger mumbled under his breath.

"Guess you're right."

"What are you talking about?" I interrupt the small squabble.

Meliodas grinned. "Ready to meet some Sins, Princess? Well… technically you already have," a smug smile dances across his lips. "And by the way, this is all off the record, as covered under our _agreement_. No turning around and turning us in, got it?" He gave me a pointed look.

 _No way,_ I think to myself. He couldn't possibly be insinuating that.

He waves Ban over. "You've probably already heard of this guy." Meliodas taps his knuckle against the taller man's chest. "Meet Ban, Sin of Greed."

Well that was one suspicion confirmed. My eyes dart between King and Diane. They were outright the most normal out of all the people that I've run into. Sure, Diane beat the crap out of some assholes earlier, but I would have done the same thing if I was in her position.

"King, Sin of Sloth," Meliodas speaks up again, gripping said man's shoulder. "He's a bit of a blabbermouth so you can thank him for these introductions."

King didn't respond, simply rolling his eyes before giving me a half hearted wave as acknowledgement of his title.

"And last we have Diane. Sin of Envy."

Even with my guesses at her being one of the Deadly Sins, hearing the statement out loud is still a bit of a shock. This girl is a sweetheart, through and through, how in the world did she get tangled up with a bunch of criminals?

"Surprised?" Diane smiled at me.

"Yes… and no," I admit. I take them all in, one at a time. Ban was the only one I would have assumed to be any sort of trouble-maker, but even then… it was based off of his choice in clothing alone.

The others looked… so normal.

"Any questions so far?" Meliodas asked me, clearly reading the confusion that must have been written all over my face. And I sputter with an incredulous chuckle. He's joking. This is all one big joke to him, right?

"I would say that'd be fairly _obvious_." But where do I start? If I asked the wrong questions, they were bound to shut me down. How was I supposed to get the answers I needed without making them feel like I was fishing?

I take a breath, "Alright… well, I guess I'll start with the most obvious question first." The one that's been bugging me all day in fact, "How many people actually make up the sins?"

Meliodas grins, and I'm half expecting him to drop a ' _You'll just have to wait and see'_ on me when Diane chuckles, "You're right… that is pretty obvious, isn't it?"

 _Wait… really?!_ My eyes find Meliodas again and his grin hadn't wavered at all. "So… wait, there's really only _seven_ of you? B-but I thought that the bar was-"

"I told you we don't judge people here." The blonde chided. Damnit… did he always have that fucking grin on his smug-ass face?! "We serve anyone who walks in, assuming they haven't pissed us off in some way or another. But, yeah. The name says it all."

So I've met four of the Seven Deadly Sins… Where were the others? Were they lurking around here somewhere too?

"Okay. Why?" My question didn't seem to register as they looked at each other confused.

"Why are there only seven of us?" King asked as clarification, but I shook my head. While that too was a good question, it wasn't what I had meant.

"No, I mean, why form a gang? And yeah… I guess… why are there only seven of you?"

More glances, but this time their collective expressions were wary - cautious. None of them seemed willing to be forthright with an answer.

Except Meliodas. "That's something you'll have to learn later. For now, let's just say, _we're all on the same side_."

Same side? Hardly. I was on the side of justice and peace in the city. On the side looking to take gangs like his out of the game for good. What on earth would make him ever believe otherwise? But in the interest of keeping my communication lines open, I left it alone. There'd be plenty of time to interrogate everyone later.

"I guess my last question is: what's next? Do you blindfold me and take me to a safe house? I don't assume I'll be able to go home."

There was a round of chuckles, and I'm starting to get tired of being the only one not in on the jokes. That's when Meliodas slid a little key ring across the counter to me. It was the same one he had used to open the room I had changed in.

"Welcome to your new home, Princess." He said.

That was the other thing I was tired of. That damned grin of his...

* * *

Dom: *Shoots off a firework* HAPPY 4th OF JULY!

Luv: Dom… you do know that independence day was last week, right?

Dom: *Stares blankly at Luv* B-but… fireworks! Look at all the fireworks I bought to celebrate!

Luv: … who even gave you those? I thought I told you to stick to the sparklers this time.

Dom: HA! AS IF! WE NEED MORTARS! BIG BOOMS! BAMMMMM! *Waves hands wildly to make her point*

Luv: *looks down at her little sparkler before tossing it aside.* YES Bring on the BOOMS! *disregarded sparkler starts the table of drinks on fire.* Oh crap! *panics and tries to put it out.* Our booze!

Dom: *Laughs maniacally as she lights the mortars despite the booze going up in flames* Next time on DTM : Elizabeth's first night at the Boar Hat and she's already breaking the rules. The question is, can she get away with it? A late night meeting and a mysterious picture, what secrets are the Sins hiding? Now she just has more questions than answers…

Luv: Dom! The booze! Do you see it!? Help me! *panics some more and runs around the table out of ideas as tears roll down her face.* I just wanted one more drink...

Dom: Happy belated 4th everyone! And we'll see you in the next chapter!


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Dust flies in the air as Diane and I remove the white sheets off the furniture of my _new room_. I cough as I inhale just a little too much of the foreign particles.

"Ops," Diane's awkward chuckle is muffled by her hand. "Guess I shoulda opened a window first. Hold on a sec." She unlocks one of the nearby windows to air out the dusty room. "There we go, much better!" The brunette gathers up the sheets in her arms and gives me a pleasant smile.

I still can't get over the fact that she's one of the Seven.

"I'm gunna throw these in the wash," she holds up the sheets. "Want anything before I head off to bed?"

"No, I'm fine."

She nods and makes for the door.

Feeling a weird need to thank her, I say, "wait!"

"Hmm?" Diane hums as she turns her attention back to me.

"I, uh, just wanted to thank you," I explain as I tuck a piece of hair behind my ear. I folded my hands behind my back to stop from fidgeting. I should have just let her leave.

"What for?" She cocks her head to the side curiously.

"Well… you've been kind to me since I've arrived," I nibble my bottom lip for a bit. "You don't have to be."

Diane studies me and for the first time since I've met her, she's almost... cold. "Isn't that what _good_ people are suppose to do? Be nice to the cops?" Her stare is hard before she blinks and that kind smile is back on her face, as if she'd never said anything at all. "Think nothing of it, Princess. G'night." She excuses herself from the room, shutting the door behind her.

I frown at the odd turn in the conversation. I shake my head, deciding that I have other things to worry about at the moment. _I need to get a hold of Howser,_ I muse as I reach for my phone. My fingers graze only the leather of my belt and my eyes widen. I pat myself down, searching in vain for a phone that clearly isn't there.

 _The dresser,_ my panicked mind suggests. There really is no place for a phone on this uniform. It's possible I put my phone with my other belongings without even realizing it.

Frantically I tug the drawer open. My clothes are just where I left them. I search each article intensely before it dawns on me.

"They took my phone," I whisper. I look around for a clock and cringe.

 _3:00 a.m._

My check in time with Howzer was three hours ago. I groan. Somehow having to face what I _know_ is going to be one hell of a scolding from my partner is worse than having my phone taken from me.

"He's going to be so pissed," I mumble as I strip down to return to the clothes I arrived in. I had to find a pay phone or something to get a hold of him. The last thing I needed was for my longtime friend to send out a search party because I didn't check in when I was suppose to.

I reposition my gun holster and throw my jacket back on over my vneck tee. I glance at the still opened window. _No,_ I think better of scaling down the side fo the building. _Even if it is only one floor up, if I got hurt…_ It was too risky.

My hand grips the doorknob and I take a deep breath.

The hall is dark and quiet. I look both ways before slowly creeping out of the room and closing the door behind me. I stand there silently, waiting, listening. The only sound was that of my own heartbeat in my ears.

Good.

I took the stairs just as slowly. I was already late, so Howzer could wait a little longer. Luckily for me, the staircase was a thick metal, so there was no fear of creaky steps, which made my descent that much easier. Now at the entrance to the bar area, I'm thankful to find no one occupying any of the chairs or bar stools. It seems like everyone had gone to bed.

I make quick work of navigating the bar and getting to the door, finding that it was still unlocked. Instinct has me looking over my shoulder a few heartbeats before I dare opening the door and stepping out into the early morning air.

My body instantly relaxes as I shut the bar door behind me. I only hope that they aren't to big about locking up after they close. _If worse comes to worse, I did leave the window open._ The thought helps to urge my feet forward in the unfamiliar territory. My steps are fast and I keep my eyes open for any potential threats. Finally, after a block, I find what I was looking for; a payphone.

A deep breath leaves my lips as I mentally prepare myself. I'm both looking forward to and dreading this call. I punch in the number I've known by heart for years.

"It's me."

"Elizabeth?" I internally cringe. He's only ever used my full name a handful of times and only when he's pissed. "Where the fuck have you been?! Check in was hours ago!" Howzer immediately berates me.

I sigh, leaning into the payphone cover, thankful that no one else seemed to be roaming the streets. "They took my phone. I had no way to get in touch with you until now."

"Where the hell are you?"

I peer around the street, finding a crossroad sign, but deciding it best not to say, "I'm safe."

"That's not what I asked." I can hear the frustration in his voice and picture the disapproving scowl on his face.

"I know that… but I can't tell you. Even if I knew for sure."

"What?! That's ridiculous! You're a cop, El. If they're holding you against your will-"

"They're not. I gave my word, Howser. There is too much at stake here for me to just go back on it." I sigh again, pulling my jacket tighter around me, "So for now, you'll have to settle for knowing I'm safe."

There's a long silence on the other end, "Is there anything else you can tell me? Anything I can work on while you're putting your life at risk?" He finally asks, his tone terse and begrudging.

"Don't be like that." I shake my head even though I know he can't see me, "I don't have anything for you." Howser is my partner, but at this point everything is still too new… there wasn't enough to go on to send him on any wild goose chases. "I'm too green. They're not telling me anything."

A lie. Necessary. In order to keep my word to Meliodas, I needed to keep the things they told me close to the vest.

"Fine," Howser relents with a heavy sigh. "Just… be careful, El. These guys aren't to be trusted."

I smile lightly at his concern. "I know."

"I wish I was there. Someone shoulda had your back on this."

" _You_ have my back Howser," I stress the importance of his, what he probably thinks is minimal, role. "Even if you aren't beside me, I know that." I think of his support back when I first brought the idea up. He didn't like it anymore than anyone else but still, he spoke up for me like he did. Howser's never failed to be there for me.

"Ugh, stop flattering me," he groans into the phone. He's rolling his eyes at me, I know it.

I giggle softly and with a fond shake of my head I say, "goodnight Howser."

"Night, El. Call me when you can."

"Will do."

I hang up the phone and let out a long sigh. It was comforting to hear his voice after all of the craziness of today. I have no idea when I'll be able to reach out to him again, but at least he knows I'm safe for now and won't do anything stupid. I make the short walk back to the bar.

Cautiously I reach for the door handle and turn slowly.

It clicks open.

An excited smile forms on my lips. I have to bite the inside of my cheek from squealing at my good fortune. Not wanting to wake anyone, I tip toe through the door, shutting it quietly behind myself. I freeze the moment I hear them.

Voices.

"C'mon boss… do you honestly think anything's gunna change? I mean, she's a spitfire for sure, but she's one of _them_. The pigs've never done anything useful before, what makes you think she's any different?"

I hold my position just inside the door, while my face ignites. They're talking about me… There was no mistaking the first voice. It was Ban, and this was the most sober I'd heard him in the time I've known him.

"Wishful thinking I guess." There was a long silence then before I heard the thud of a half empty beer mug on the wooden countertop. Meliodas' voice did not hold his usual confidence, "The girl's got something to lose. I guess when I saw how determined she was to crack the case, I figured she'd be more motivated than others to help us out."

Ban let out a humorless chuckle, "Yeah, yeah… You got a heart of gold. We get it." He too takes a long swig of his drink and sets his mug down with a louder thump, with a contented sigh, "Don't get me wrong, boss. I like the broad. But what's keep'in her from turn'in us in?"

Meliodas must have been in the upswing of a comment because Ban immediately spoke up again – I could see him wave his arms sarcastically, "Yeah, I know, _she gave her word_." His tone was mocking and I could practically hear his eyes roll, "Grow up, man. Her _word_ means jack-shit when the only thing between her and a shiny commendation is a pack of half-wits stupid enough to let a cop into the gang."

There was silence again. It was contemplative, heavy. Meliodas didn't say anything, just took another long swig of his drink.

Ban took his silence as an invitation, "You know I'm right. We've got to do something about her before she stabs us in the back."

"You said the same thing when I brought Diane here," another voice joins them. King. Where did he come from? "Though," he pauses and I can almost hear the gears in his head spinning as he takes a seat. "She wasn't a cop."

"Exactly," Ban snaps. "We can't trust her."

"Well, I wouldn't say that either," King contemplates calmly, pouring himself a drink. "We don't exactly know enough to say one way or another."

"She's a pig!" Ban slams his mug on the counter. "That's all we _need_ to know."

"What we _know_ is that cops can be swayed," King's tone hardens. "It's still up for debate which way she'll end up. I say we give it some time. She'll show her intentions eventually."

"That's a piss poor way of avoiding the issue here," Meliodas' supposed right hand man growls. "Pick a fuckin side, _Sloth_."

"I'm not gunna let you goad me into making a decision without seeing all the facts first, _Greed,_ " King fires back.

"Just an excuse for your wishy washy attitude."

"Not everyone goes with their first gut reaction every time, jackass."

"If we wait for you to make up your damn mind, we'll be behind bars, shit for brains."

"Oh, that's rich coming from you."

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"Exactly how it sounds. You're an idiot. You act first, think never."

"At least I had enough balls to ask out the girl I care for. You took almost two fucking years!"

Another tense silence.

"You don't get to judge me," King finally replies. His tone lacks any real emotion. "You can't possibly compare you and Elaine to me and Diane."

 _Elaine?_ I can't help but think. _Who's Elaine?_

"...you're right… sorry," Ban's apology barely reaches my ears. It's somewhat shocking to hear. I didn't think a man like him had such a word in his vocabulary. "I know that was… complicated."

"It's fine," King responds. "I'm sorry too.. I shouldn't have gotten so fucking defensive in the first place…"

"Seems like we're all a bit on edge," Melidas speaks up for the first time since King joined the conversation. "Thanks for the wonderful insight guys, but I think that's enough for tonight. We'll talk more tomorrow."

"Alright."

"Sounds good."

I hold my breath, straining my ears to hear the sound of their footsteps fading. I count the seconds as I wait for a good time frame to leave. After five minutes I chance a glance around the corner. It appears deserted. I slip off my shoes and carry in my hand to move swiftly and quietly across the floor. I take my time climbing the steps, careful not to catch-up to any lingering sins.

Pulling the door of my new room open, I slip inside. A heavy sigh leaves me as I softly shut it behind me and lean against it. _Safe,_ I smile in triumph. I have successfully left the building and returned without any of the Sins being the wiser. I even managed to get a few interesting bits of information. They make zero sense to me at this time, but they could be useful later.

My eyes sweep over my room and notice an extra door. I investigate and find I'm lucky enough to have my own bathroom along with a closet.

I decide to change into some different clothes before heading to bed. Some simple pjs are tucked neatly in one of the drawers. Unlike the dust that seemed to have covered the entire room, the clothing was fresh. My brows furrow.

 _Did someone leave these here for me?_

My first thought is Meliodas. A shiver passes through me at him knowing my size. I push the thought away and reason that it was probably Diane. The female Sin was taller than I, but not by much. I strip down. Pulling on the pants and then putting on the shirt. As I fiddle with fastening the buttons, one pops off.

A frustrated sigh leaves me. Could this night get any more irritating? I lean over the bed, face pressed to the bed sheets as I fish for my missing button. My fingers graze along the wood floor below, dancing back and forth to find the round annoyance keeping me from going to bed - when I touched something else. Paper. I grab it and pull it up, blowing the dust off.

Not paper. It's a photo.

I recognize Meliodas immediately. He looks the same in appearance. Well, not completely. He looks happier in the photo - he's practically glowing. He's got his arms wrapped around the shoulders of a woman I don't recognize. She's pretty; short bobbed pink hair, bright happy eyes. Both of them are wearing camouflaged patterned uniforms.

 _BDU's? Those are definitely military uniforms…_

I flip over the picture and find a note scribbled on the back top left corner: "Mel and Liz, 57th Brigade"

 _Who the heck is Liz?_

* * *

Luv: So I saw this shirt today. It said "Hello darkness my old friend" and had a picture of a coffee cup on it!

Dom: *Snores softly, nearly falling out of her chair*

Luv: Get it? ... am I boring you? I thought it was pretty nifty! Like that song and now it reminds me of Trolls and I totally just watched that for the first time the other day! Lots of singing in that movie. Right up my alley! I could sing you some! *clears throat ready to sing her heart out*

Dom: *Head rolls as she snores louder* mmm…. No…. zombies stole my bike…. *Falls forward, face planting the table*

Luv: …. Well okay then. Next time on Don't Trust Me: Progress seems slow for the eager Elizabeth - or so she thinks! In the next chapter; lewd suggestions and underaged drinking! A dark night brings a teenager to the bar. What connections does he have with the Sins?

Dom: *Continues snoring, drool pooling on the table* Those are my maracas...

Luv: Soooo~, you do want me to sing? Play those maracas! *starts bobbing head to non existent music* See you guys next chapter!~


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

The next morning comes too fast. I hardly slept as my mind whirled with the unanswered questions I had. _Who's Elaine? And who's Liz? What connection do they have to the Sins?_ I have a feeling they are important, I just can't put my finger on why.

As I walk down the stairs and pull up a seat at the bar, Diane's bright smile greets me. "Mornin' Princess!"

"Good morning, Diane," I return her smile. She sets a plate of food in front of me. "You know you don't have to call me Princess right? Elizabeth is fine when it's just us."

Diane places a thoughtful finger to her chin as she thinks it over. "Eh, Princess will do for now."

Her tone is a bit off, like the one she'd slipped into last night for a split second before it was gone. I say nothing else. I yawn, stretching out all the kinks from my restless night in a strange bed.

"Tired?"

I jump slightly, unsure of where exactly Meliodas came from. I hadn't heard him come down the stairs. "Uh… yeah." I mumble quickly, trying my damnedest not to let a guilty look pass over my face. "New place and all."

Thankfully, Meliodas only shrugs it off.

"Midnight strolls down the street certainly don't help." Diane murmurs from behind the bar the moment the kitchen door closed behind Meliodas.

My eyes go wide, watching her and then darting to the kitchen door. I'd been tailed…

The Sin of Envy leans over the counter, her face inches from mine. "I won't say anything this time. But only because you kept your word and didn't tell whoever you were talking to anything." Her voice is cold as she levels me with a hard stare. "Don't do it again."

I'm too shocked to do much more than nod obediently.

"Good," Diane's face brightens instantly. "It's a rough neighborhood, Princess," that same sugary smile she used yesterday on the thugs crosses her face. "We wouldn't want anything bad to happen to ya."

My jaw slacks slightly. _Is she... threatening me?_

"What are you guys doing?"

We turn in sync to see King and Ban watching us with curious stares. The two of them are wearing much the same thing as they were yesterday. Diane sends me one last warning glance before she pulls away from me and straightens. She gives the men a blinding smile.

"Just some girl talk," she responds easily.

"Yeah right. Looked more like you two were ready to make out to me." Ban snorts, elbow resting atop King's head. The ginger haired man seems too stunned by Ban's wrongful observation to worry about being used as an armrest.

"We were not!" I insist, my cheeks heating up slightly.

Diane rolls her eyes as she responds to him. "You'd like that too much."

"Well~," Ban draws with a crooked grin. "I wouldn't say no." He pokes King's cheek with his free hand. "Don't think your boyfriend would protest too much either."

King's face lights up in color as he glares daggers at Ban. He shoves the taller man's arm off his head and punches him in the stomach. Ban laughs, easily holding King back with a hand to his forehead.

Diane's giggle draws our attention back to her. She's got a wide smile on her face, eyes only on King as she says, "maybe we will then."

And then she winks.

King's knees buckle and Ban catches him by the scruff of his hood. "You shouldn't joke about things like that so early in the morning, Di. You may kill him," he explains through his chortles.

"Who said I was joking?" She shrugs with a teasing smile.

My mouth drops and Ban just continues to laugh his ass off.

"What the hell's going on out here?" Meliodas quirks a brow at the peculiar situation he finds as he walks out of the kitchen. "Who killed King?" He points at the barely standing man.

"I'm fine!" Said man protests. He wrestles out of Ban's grasp. One step and he trips over his own feet.

Luckily Ban catches him once again, saving him from a faceplant. The taller man heaves him up under one arm and carries him over to the bar. He drops King on the stool near me and takes the empty seat on his opposite side. Ban's care of the shorter man suprises me with how viciously they were arguing last night. Their relationship has to be a lot more complex than I originally thought.

"This is Di's fault," Ban explains with an amused chuckle. "I swear she's going to send him to an early grave."

"Why am I not surprised?" Meliodas shakes his head. "Whaddya do this time?" He accuses Diane with a half hearted glare. Even I can tell he's holding back a grin.

"Just said that I might make out with Princess at some point," she blinks innocently, playing for nonchalance even as a smile fights to overtake her face.

I sink lower into my chair, not sure how to handle the sudden scrutiny I'm under as Meliodas just... _stares_ at me. His eyes crinkle with his obvious enjoyment. I'm half tempted to punch him in the face before he makes, what I'm sure will be, a lewd joke.

"I'd pay to see that," he says casually, gaze still locked with mine.

"Meliodas!" I hiss at him. I can feel the heat crawling up the back of my neck. "I'm a member of the law!"

He quirks a brow and I just know he's fighting back a smile. "And that means you can't make out with a girl? I was under the impression that even cops like to have fun sometimes. You could always make out with me if that's more your thing." He wiggles his eyebrows suggestively, smug smirk on his lips.

"I don't want to makeout with Diane! Or you!"

"Ahh," Diane pouts breaking me out of the death glare I was sending at Meliodas. "You don't think I'm attractive?" She gestures down her body. I finally realize what she's wearing. Skin tight, black low riding yoga pants and a tank top that is about two sizes too small for her bust, displaying both a large amount of cleavage and midriff.

I'm really digging myself a hole here. I can't help but respond even though I _know_ they're all just picking on me for their own amusement. "O-of course you are!" I admit with warm cheeks. "But…"

"Don't think she's into girls, Di," Ban comments over the lip of a mug. _Is he drinking already?_ "Though, I bet if we get her drunk enough she would be. She seems like she'd be a closet freak, if ya know what I mean."

I glare daggers at the man. He isn't bothered by my stare one bit.

"Think we'll have to put that to the test," Meliodas nods sagely. "I can see that too."

"You guys are horrible," King finally rejoins the fray. At least one person doesn't seem hell bent on making my stay here as awkward as possible. "Why don't you give it a rest?"

"Don't act so high an mighty," Ban rolls his eyes. "You wanna see it just as much as the rest of us. Hell, she almost has the same body type as Di-"

"Elizabeth's boobs are bigger and butt smaller," Meliodas interjects sending a cheeky grin my way. _How the hell does he know that?_

"So she's just your type!" Ban continues with a large wave of his hand. The other three Sins laugh.

King's head thumps against the bar. "I hate you all…"

I find myself agreeing with the sulking man. I don't think I've ever been so mortified in my life. They were talking about such… _intimate_ things so openly. I wasn't new to their suggestive ideas but it was not something that was brought up in casual conversation.

"Ah, don't say that," Diane sways over to stand in front of him. King's eyes follow her movements religiously. She bends over the counter, granting everyone a fantastic view down her shirt. King gives her a lazy stare. Diane leans even farther over and presses her lips against his.

"Gross," Ban says almost immediately. "I said I'd be game for you and Princess making out. Not you and King. Get a room if you wanna do that shit."

A content sigh leaves King's lips as she pulls back. "That's not a bad idea," he mumbles. Diane beams and hops over the counter. She grabs King's hand and drags him up the stairs with her.

I stare, completely dumbfounded for the second time that morning.

"Better eat up, Princess, your foods getting cold with all that gawking you're doing," Meliodas says, the mirth in his tone unmistakable. The jackass is getting a kick out of all my reactions.

"I'll be glad when the two of them are done with this phase," Ban grumbles.

Meliodas snorts. "Yeah, right. You're just as happy for them as everyone else is."

"Don't mean I wanna see or hear it all the fuckin' time."

* * *

The day goes on and I keep tabs on the four Sins I know. Diane and Meliodas are the only ones who don't seem to leave. King and Ban are in and out of the bar practically all day. I stopped keeping count after the twentieth trip. They always left together, I noticed. And they always seemed to be bickering. If they were doing any kind of sneaking on any of their trips out, they'd be heard from a mile away.

I had attempted to hear what they were saying on more than one occasion. Usually it was just Ban telling King he was a wimp or King telling Ban he was a complete moron. They're conversations got very… _colorful_ at times. Meliodas was usually the only one who even bothered trying to put a stop to it and even he didn't bother most of the time.

Apparently their fights were a norm at the Boar Hat.

Ban would pay my presence no mind. He neither went out of his way to avoid me or acknowledge me. He was probably still waiting for me to run him through with a knife - figuratively speaking - if his words from last night rang any truth. King, on the other hand, would attempt to make small talk with me when he had the time for it. If I hadn't heard his part in the conversation, I honestly would have thought he was just being nice. He was easy to talk to.

But even he was probably waiting for the other shoe to drop on my motives.

When I had tried asking where he and Ban had been, King would easily shift the conversation to something else. A talent I wouldn't have thought him capable of from his mannerisms around Diane. Evidently it was just her that he got all tongue tied with, not women in general like I had hoped. He would've been a useful tool to get information out of if that was the case.

Most times when the two returned, they would have nothing, but in the few instances they _did_ return with something, it was never very large. It was mere chance, right place right time, that I was able to see the small box King hid under his oversized jacket as he passed it off to Diane.

That was another perplexing situation. Diane.

She was the same kind and caring girl I met yesterday. To her, it was as if this morning's conversation never happened. I kept on high alert around her anyways. There was no way I could let go of the fact that she tailed me. It wasn't even that I was upset with her. I _understood_ why she did it. I was pissed at myself. _How hadn't I noticed her following me?_

The other odd thing I noticed was the number of people who would come into the bar asking for the bathroom. They'd walk right up to the counter, not even bothering to sit at a table first, and ask the same damn question:

"Where's the bathroom?"

Diane would always be the one to answer saying, "around the corner, but the men's room is broken."

Despite her saying that, everyone who asked still rounded the corner and disappeared. Diane wouldn't look their way again.

Not even when they returned a whole fifteen minutes later and leave. Not buying a damn thing. It was so strange. Didn't most businesses hate when people used their restrooms but not pay for anything?

"Lots of full bladders today," I mumbled, dropping off a tray of empty mugs. She simply shrugged in response, intent on taking the glasses from me so I could return to the floor.

It took me until the second day but I finally realized after the fifth person asking Diane the same question and her giving the same answer, who these people were;

They had to be the Sins' contacts.

The next day passed much the same. More random restroom inquiries, more trips in and out of the bar, more silence, and more questions being left unanswered.

By the time the fourth day rolls around, I'm fuming. The day itself wasn't any different. Not a thing out of the ordinary - as all the random occurrences of the last few days suddenly felt ordinary. King and Diane still make small talk with me while Meliodas and Ban make wise cracks. It isn't until we're about to shut down for the night that a... peculiar character walks in.

The bar door opens, and I look up from the table I'd spent too much time wiping down in my frustration. There's a not-so-kind comment about how we're closing soon on the tip of my tongue, when I take in the figure standing at the entrance.

My first thought is that he's young. He couldn't have been older than nineteen… twenty at the most. Either way, he was still too young to be walking into a bar at 2 am. He's a lanky kid - tall and thin, an obvious fact despite the thick, oversized hoodie he wore. His jeans were worn and dirty, smudged around the knees and dusty everywhere else. Was this kid homeless?

"Sorry, but, we're closed." I say, and I expected him to make some sort of excuse. Actually, I was expecting him to do anything other than what he did, which was walk past me like I hadn't said a damn thing.

I spin around to watch him walk right up to the bar and pull out a seat for himself.

I'm just about to say something else when Meliodas walks out from the kitchen. He glances up to find the kid at the bar. But I must be in topsy-turvy town, because the man just smiles! He smiles and without a word walks behind the bar counter and pours something into a cup for him.

 _Are you fucking kidding me?_ I'm completely dumbfounded. Not only does he insist on making a mockery of me, he blatantly breaks the fucking law in front of my face!

My blood starts boiling and I can't stop myself anymore. Fuck keeping up appearances. I'm done with this asshole making a joke out of me.

I storm up to the bar and give Meliodas the dirtiest glare I know I'm capable of. "What the hell do you think you're doing? He's a minor."

A grin starts to creep over Meliodas' face again and I swear I'm moments away from back slapping him, before a deadpanned voice freezes me in my tracks.

"Approximately five-foot-four-inches. One hundred forty pounds. Approximate measurements: 38 - 24 - 36. Normal symmetry; falls within ideal ratio standards."

My cheeks flush immediately as the boy sitting at the bar counter lists off my physical attributes without so much as a glance in my direction. As far as I know, he hadn't looked at me at all - even now, he kept his head turned away from me, his eyes locked with the table-top.

Then he speaks again, "Are you sure it's alright for her to be here? " He asks Meliodas, and I find my mouth falling open. _Just who the fuck is this kid?_

Meliodas' grin forms completely as he addresses the kid without acknowledging me, "I don't know Gowther, you tell me."

 _Gowther?_

The kid named Gowther pauses a moment before finally turning to look at me. However he never once meets my eyes. His gaze darted wildly over my figure before turning his face away from me again, "Well kept, moderately-strong physical stature, above-average spatial reasoning, records indicate higher than normal IQ, but is known for having poor emotional control. Psychological profile states loyalty and sense of morality as strongest qualities. Threat level… moderate. Requires further research." Gowther's voice had remained stale, almost robotic the entire time he had spoken.

 _What…?_

"Then I guess we'll keep her around until you decide otherwise." Meliodas jokes.

I can't make heads or tails of this kid. How the hell did he know so much about me? He was practically listing off my service record like it was sitting in front of him!

"Princess, meet Gowther. He's one of us." Meliodas replies to my unspoken question. "You'll have to excuse his lack of tact. He's has High Functioning Autism, so he doesn't process emotions the same way as the rest of us." The smile he keeps shifts as he's speaking - it's almost… proud as he watches Gowther finally reach for the mug he had put out for him and take a sip.

"And he's a sin?"

"Yeah. The Sin of Lust. With an IQ over 160, we'd be stupid not to have him on the team."

So he's a super genius then? Weren't geniuses kept in universities to solve world hunger and the meaning of life? This kid looked like he lived in a box somewhere.

"How does he know all of that stuff about me?"

"Oh, that? He's an extremely gifted hacker. Not many things he can't get into. The police department human resources database is no exception."

My teeth grind in my mouth, "Great." I say with as much sarcasm as possible. "All that aside, the fact that he's a genius doesn't mean he can drink underaged."

"Gowther only drinks one thing." Meliodas reaches under the bar and pulls out a carton, "Apple juice."

I feel my skin heat up as I realize the mistake I made - and for the first time in a long time I felt guilt. Meliodas wasn't breaking the law right in front of my face. He wasn't making a joke of me and my profession. At least not right now.

"Now the real work begins, Princess."

"Princess," Gowther states and I'm unable to tell if he means it as a question or not. "Incorrect. That is not her name according to records."

"That's what we've been calling her."

"Why?"

"We don't want anyone to take her name and use it against us." Meliodas explains patiently. "If they had someone who could do what you do, it'd give us away."

"I… see," Gowther nods his head slowly. "That makes perfect logical sense."

"Glad to hear it," the blonde smiles. "Do you want to say hi?"

"No."

Meliodas shrugs, "Okay."

I ignore their exchange and ask a question of my own. "What did you mean.. _The real work begins_?"

"Well I told you I was waiting on someone. That someone is Gowther."

Again with this kid. But Meliodas is making me work for this one, "Alright, I'll bite. _WHY?_ "

"Is _she_ here too?" Gowther asks, and I realize that they are completely ignoring me. As if I needed another reason to pull out my hair today.

"Who, Gluttony?"

Now that caught my attention. Gluttony… another sin. Another woman? And what the heck was with the nicknames? Did each of the Sins correlate to something? I'm fighting the urge to grind my own teeth into dust as the frustration nearly overwhelms me. Too many questions. Not enough answers. And every time I feel like I'm getting my bearing, something else comes up.

"That is not her name either." Gowther mumbles in his same monotone.

Meliodas chuckles, taking the unfinished mug from Gowther and dumping the rest into the nearby sink, and I briefly wonder why he would waste so much. "She's not in. She's working late on another project."

Gowther's eyes dance for a moment like he's processing this information before he carefully stands from his bar stool, "Then I'll go home." He says, pulling something from his hoodie pocket and placing it on the counter with a surgeon's precision - lining it up perfectly with the grain of the wood. It's a flash-drive. Worn and used much like his jeans were.

And then he leaves. Not a word more, not a glance at either me or Meliodas. He just walks right out the door. To say the encounter had been strange was… an understatement.

"You said he has High Functioning Autism?" I ask, and I remember having read about it before.

"That's right." Meliodas confirms, and I bite back a comment about how I'm no longer invisible to him. But, then it hits me.

"He's not good with other people, is he? Not just at processing emotions."

The blonde nods, looking impressed, all the while, he's slipped the flash-drive from the counter into his pocket, "You really know your stuff." For once his tone doesn't come off as condescending. "Gowther's been diagnosed with several other disorders attributed to his Autism. OCD and social anxiety are the most prominent. He's only recently really started speaking to me."

And for once, my mind isn't stuck on my case. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder - that explains the apple juice and the need for aligning the flash-drive. How does a kid with Autism get mixed up with a gang like the Sins? But more pressing on my mind... "When he said he's going home…"

Meliodas sighs, no grin to be found, "As you've probably guessed, living in a home is… difficult for Gowther. If Gluttony isn't around, he doesn't stay. But, should we need him, I know where to find him." He finishes, and rounds the bar, walking back towards the staircase. He pauses when he realizes I haven't followed, "You coming or what?"

* * *

Luv: *Watches Dom curiously as she very carefully places books in a perfect line* ...Whatcha doing?

Dom: SSSSSHHHHHHH… *Puts up hand, staring intensely at the last book* I'm organizing my collection. I have to concentrate!

Luv: …. Uh… Okay? *stares blankly for a while.* Um… How long is this gunna take? We have some things to do ya know?

Dom: SSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHH! *Intense music plays in background as the book binder is inched closer to the line*

Luv: *glances around the room* Where the hell is that coming from? *Stares at Dom.* When did you get background music? I want some! Live's always better with background music!

Dom: *Wipes a bead of sweat from her brow* You have some. Listen. *Pulls remote from back pocket, and the tune of "Do you believe in magic" blares to life*

Luv: Oh my gosh! I do believe in magic! *dances around to her theme music and sings along*

Dom: LUV! NO TIME FOR DANCING! WE MUST GIVE THE PREVIEW! *Continues working on perfecting the book collection*

Luv: *grumbles something under her breath as she pouts* …. Next time on Don't Trust Me: Elizabeth finally starts to get some of the answers she's been looking for; but there is a price. Sequins and hairdos are in the detective's future… what else will she have to do in order to solve her case?


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Meliodas opens a door that I hadn't noticed under the stairs, ever the gentleman - a thought that makes me roll my eyes - he waves for me to enter first. It's a small office space, kind of cramped with a couple of desks lining the walls directly on either side of the entrance. Paperwork of all kinds; I see a couple of order sheets immediately on top of the piles - nothing out of the ordinary for a bar. The shelves had binders full of old orders, tax information, employee information… All of the binders were labeled and organized. Hard to believe a gang was so meticulous.

Once inside, Meliodas reached over one of the desks, pressing a red unlabeled button on the phone sitting at the back of one of the stacks. Immediately it hummed to life with a familiar voice, "Yeah, boss?" Ban answered.

"Time to get to work. Gowther dropped off the goods." Meliodas replies quickly, fishing the flash-drive from his pocket to examine it.

Ban snorts on the other end, "I didn't even see the weirdo come through. Alright… I'll grab the others." He says, and then the phone goes silent. Not moments later, the blonde presses a separate button and there is a click somewhere beyond him before a door opens up along the wall opposite me. _You've got to be kidding me…_

"A secret room? Seriously?"

He lets his usual grin shine through brighter than ever, "What can I say? I'm a sucker for the dramatic." He chuckles as he walks through the new opening and turns on a light inside, "Bet you can't guess my favorite movie series…"

I follow him in, and find the room to be much larger than the first. One wall has pictures and notes pinned to it, red string tied around pins connecting them to other pins. It was a map of sorts, jumping from articles to pictures, from reports and news clippings to notes scribbled on pieces of paper. There were connections with gangs, with political figures, police officers. I followed strings connecting seemingly unrelated pieces of information, until my eyes landed on the image of a man I knew. The man in the photo wasn't looking at the camera - it was a shot taken from a distance.

 _This was my target from my failed drug bust…_

Questions were all I had right now, but I could not find the words to express them. I'm still studying the map when I hear the others filter into the room.

"We're letting _her_ in on this one?" Ban asks, and I turn to study them a moment.

All of them are dressed differently than I've seen them over the past few days. It's obvious what they're wearing now is for mobility purposes. Ban's the only one with outright disdain dancing across his features. He doesn't think I should be here. He hasn't since the very beginning. King and Diane don't seem as bothered, at least on the surface.

Diane shoots me a smile while King merely nods in my direction as he walks past me and takes the flash drive from Meliodas. "This is it?"

"Came right from Gowther," Meliodas nods. "What we've been looking for should be all here."

The ginger haired man slides behind a beat up desk and inserts the flash drive into the laptop. Ban and Diane busy themselves about the room, getting things ready. Something about the way they are moving, almost in perfect sync around each other, like they have done this a thousand times before, strikes me. Another glance at the board and I can't help but think;

 _It's just like at the precinct._

A list of criminals up on the wall. All of them are connected together. The board isn't all that different from the one my team and I have been working on for _months_. This setup just seems so much more… complete than mine.

I glance around the room at each of them. My eyes finding Meliodas last.

These people… "You're not a gang at all, are you?" I finally find my words, and that's the first question I can manage to spit out. It made sense now. Why Meliodas would agree to let me join them - hell why he'd offer to help me at all.

Meliodas has found a chair, and leans back into it, watching me carefully but there is an air of confidence to him, "By definition, that's exactly what we are. A group of organized criminals."

"But this," I wave back to the wall, "This is…" I take a breath as I try to put a name to what I'm seeing. I follow multiple lines, allowing for my fingers to graze the red string, "...about other crimes. Other criminals. This is all investigative work. You're vigilantes."

"Last I checked, vigilantism is still a crime, isn't it?"

I pause… did I really just try to justify the things they've done? Yes, vigilantism was most definitely a crime. It was taking justice into one's own hands. Being the judge, jury, and executioner. I don't get any more time to think on the matter before a piece of sequined material is being waved in my face.

"Here ya go!" Diane beams brightly. "This is the best one I have and despite you having bigger boobs than me," she sends a pointed glare at Meliodas. "This should look fantastic on you!"

"Uh," I sputter, completely surprised by the very sudden change in topic as I take the odd material in my hand. "What's this?"

"A dress silly!" She shakes her head with a small chuckle. She holds it out for me to see and I notice it's a long black evening gown. "It may even look better on you than me, since your butt's smaller and all. Mine sticks out a bit when I wear this."

"You have a nice butt Diane," King insists, not even bothering to look up from the laptop he's bent over. "You in that dress is a gift to the earth."

Diane pinks lightly, a bashful smile on her face. Ban and Meliodas share a chuckle.

"Only smooth when he's not paying attention," Ban pokes the man's cheeks.

King looks up and blinks to refocus his eyes. "What?"

"Nothing," Meliodas smirks at him.

He scowls and returns to his work.

"What…" I start and then shake my head thinking better of it. Instead I take the dress Diane brought for me. "I need this because…?"

I glance at Meliodas, a smug smile dancing across his features. "We're going to a party."

"Right now?"

"It's fucking three in the morning. The kinda party you're going to starts at a much more respectable time," Ban chortles from his spot peering over King's shoulder.

I have a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. "Who's all going?

"Just you and me, Princess," Meliodas speaks over Ban. "It'll be like a date!"

I'm _so_ close to punching him in the face, when Diane speaks. "Ops, I forgot shoes. You should come with me anyways," she grabs my hand and drags me out the way we came in. All I catch before the door shuts behind us, is Meliodas waving with a smug grin on his face. "You'll wanna be well rested tomorrow and we gotta brainstorm ideas for your hair!"

Speaking of hair, "where are your pigtails?" I haven't seen her in anything but for the past four days. Now her hair is pulled back in a practical pony.

"Huh?" She sends me a confused glance. "Oh, I only wear those for work. Men leave bigger tips when I do that, some girls too. Not sure what it is about them, but people really like a girl in skin tight clothes paired with pigtails. I think the only way I'd make more money was if I was wearing a pleated skirt and a low cut button up." She giggled. "Not that I haven't had to do that before."

For the first time I find myself curious about what Diane did before she became a Sin. She's been the only one fully staffed at the bar along with Meliodas. The other two, and Gowther, seem to come and go. The question is on the tip of my tongue as she continues pulling me along up to her room.

Only once we are fully in her room and the door is shut, does she let go of my hand. The room is a bit smaller than my own, but it could just be the amount of stuff she has making it feel that way. Like her personality, the room is bright and colorful; pinks, purples, and oranges cover the walls, sheets, curtains… even the large vanity against the wall next to the bathroom door is spattered with different shades of pink paint - a strangely artistic choice, but I wasn't exactly in any position to judge. I was also surprised by how messy the room appeared. There were clothes spilling out of every drawer and the closet like fountains. Which was also strange as I'd never really seen her in anything but her work uniform. Some of these pieces looked pretty fashionable...

As I examine her room, Diane prattles on about which shoes would fit me and if I should wear red ones to add a splash of color or just black ones. Diane even pulls me over to the closet and shows me a few of the other options she had for dresses. We both decide the one she first picked was best.

It was like the sleepovers I would have with my friends as a child.

It was nice having someone I could hang out like this again. It had been a long time.

It was about the same time that thought crossed my mind that I realize my mistake. And the true purpose of this "hangout".

"Diane…" I say her name cautiously, not wanting to poke the scary side she seems to have. "Can we go back to that room?"

She turns her bright amethyst eyes on me. We study each other for a minute before she sighs heavily. "Why don't you just come out with what you really wanna say?"

I nibble my lip. How is it possible for her to be able to read me so easily? "They left, didn't they? As soon as you got me up the stairs. That's why you all were dressed so odd."

"You got it," she winks and points a finger gun at me.

I scowl. "Why didn't you go?" I ask even though I already know the answer.

"Someone had to keep an eye on you," she tilts her head slightly as a teasing smile pulls at her lips. "It was either me or Meliodas."

"Ugh," I groan. I suppose it could be worse though, so I sigh. "Thank you for staying behind."

She chuckles. "No problem. I don't get many chances to hang out with other women, it's a nice change of pace." She sits down on her bed, pulling her knees up. "Though, it'd be better if you weren't a cop."

"And it'd be better if you weren't a vigilante," I reply before I can think better of it. Starting a fight with her is definitely not in my best interest. But it's hard to deny the mixed feelings I have about her right now. It was too easy to slip into that "friends" mindset with Diane, and in all honesty, there was a part of me that resented the fact that we couldn't be friends. Real friends.

Diane smiles and shakes her head. "You're funny."

"How so?" I'm getting pretty sick of not being in on all the jokes that go on around this place.

"You use _vigilante_ , not criminal - even though, in the laws eyes, they're pretty much one in the same." We stare at each other, and again I wonder why I'm making that distinction. Like I was trying to convince myself that they weren't the bad guys here.

It was a long moment of my own contemplative silence that invites Diane to speak again. This time, her voice is soft, almost reassuring, "We aren't bad people, Elizabeth." She says almost reading my mind, and my eyes widen at the use of my name. I've hardly heard it the past few days and never once was it from Diane. There's a pang of guilt in my chest that I can't ignore as I watch her.

Something's wrong with me. I'm letting these people sway me with sweet words and kind looks. I can't let myself be taken in. I swallow, urging that guilty feeling away.

Another moment of silence before the brunnette drums on her knees awkwardly and then hops to her feet, "You better get to bed. Don't bother waiting up for them or trying to sneak out again. I'll know if you leave your room."

Then she pushes me into the hall and shuts the door.

I don't even consider stepping out of line. I go straight to my room.

I don't remember falling asleep; but I dreamt of a life less complicated, where I was friends with a bubbly brunette.

* * *

The following day passes in a blur. The next thing I know, Diane is getting me ready for the party. I'm wearing the stunning black sequined dress she showed me the night before while the brunette is dressed in much the same thing she was last night.

"What are you guys doing tonight?" I can't help but ask. I think I'd rather go along with whatever they're doing than be forced to a formal party with Meliodas. Then again, considering the mixed feelings I have for Diane, I suppose I'd rather be locked in my room.

"Hmm?" She hums as she finishes curling a piece of my hair. "Don't worry about it. We can talk when we're all back here."

I frown but accept her answer anyway.

"Aaand done!" She says, brushing a curl here, and pulling another one into place there, "Go on, take a look!" Diane spins me around in the chair and smiles brightly at me. I stare at my reflection in the mirror, unable to remember the last time I'd been this… dressed up.

My hair is curled loosely down my back with a few strands pulled back into a half updo. Diane was right that her dress would fit me, if not a little tight in the bust. "It's a bit… lower cut than I'm used to," I admit as I finger the long slit going up my left thigh. "I don't usually show so much skin."

"You and I went through my closet last night. This is the most modest dress I have," Diane rolls her eyes at my reluctance. "I don't know why you don't show off your figure more. You're a total babe! Meliodas is gunna be one lucky bastard walking in with you on his arm."

I groan at the reminder of my "date".

"It'll be fine," she insists with a kind smile - reminding me of the pep talks my sisters would give me growing up. "He's really not so bad when you get to know him. That _I know everything_ act that he does isn't always there. Just… most of the time." Diane chuckles to herself. I scowl as she leads me out of the room. "Eventually you just learn to ignore it."

I doubted I would ever get to such a level of familiarity with the man.

The bar was still open, at least for the next hour, so the moment I hit the main floor, I caught the attention of everyone still nursing their drinks. I don't think I've ever actually witnessed a man's jaw hit the floor in response to my presence, but tonight I seemed to be in luck as at least four did just that. Others hooted and hollered from across the room. I feel like a piece of meat surrounded by a pack of dogs.

"Holy shit…"

I'm so caught up in my embarrassment, I don't hear Meliodas come up beside me until his voice cuts through the ruckus in the bar. My face is burning, so it takes me a moment to glance over to him. With one peek, I can feel the the rest of my body ignite in a flush.

Meliodas is staring at me, eyes wide. But it's different than the other stares I'm getting. It's making my stomach do weird flips. _What the hell is wrong with me?_

A low whistle allows me a minor distraction as I contemplate maiming whoever that was. To my glee, I find it's Ban. "Looking good, Princess~!" He cackles as he steps up next to Diane, and King. I hadn't even noticed them watching us. "You clean up nice." Ban continues, giving me a crooked grin that has me wanting to follow through with my plan of harming him.

Too bad I'd stain Diane's dress.

"I know right!?" Diane beams widely. The girl is buzzing with excitement. Only King's hand on the small of her back seems to be keeping her from bouncing off the walls. "I have to say I do some damn good work!" She boasts and then pauses turning to me. Her amethyst eyes sweep up and down my form. "Actually. I think I did _too_ good of a job. Princess looks better than I do in that dress!"

"That isn't possible," King mumbles next to her.

Ban snorts and makes some joke that I can't hear. Which of course, sends the three of them into some kind of argument.

The blonde shifts next to me, reminding me of the reason I was searching for a distraction in the first place. "It's just a dress. No big deal." I mutter, unable to control my complexion. The group of three doesn't acknowledge my words but I swear I hear a low chuckle from Meliodas. In my flustered state, I can't make eye contact with him for more than a moment at a time.

The next time I meet his eyes, though, he's recovered from his own surprise and there's a soft grin on his lips, "Whatever you say, Princess." He then offers me his arm, again reminding me of the chivalry of a true gentleman, "Shall we be off then?" he asks me teasingly. As if I had a choice in the matter.

I eye his arm and him respectively - taking in the sharp black suit he's wearing, then loop my arm around his so he can lead me out of the bar and into the night. A night, I'm sure, I will not soon forget.

* * *

Dom: Annnnnd… There! Done. *Hands Luv a mirror to show her the make-over she'd given her*

Luv: *blinks at herself in the mirror* Oh… um… whoa. I don't even look like me.

Dom: *Pouts* You don't like it.

Luv: No, no, I didn't mean it like that! *panics* I just... *pauses and leans closer to the mirror* Is that… a french fry in my hair?

Dom: *Teary eyed* It's the latest fashion overseas!

Luv: Okay… if you're sure...

Dom: *Big tearful puppy-dog eyes* You don't believe me?!

Luv: Of course I do! But… Is this kind of style really, uh, appropriate? *tugs the french fry out of her hair.* We're just going to the mall...

Dom: *Bursts into crocodile tears, taking the french fry from luv and cradling it gently for some strange reason*

Luv: Oh gosh no! Please don't cry! *tries to comfort Dom without much luck* How about you give the readers the preview of next chapter? Will that make it better? *rubs soothing circles on Dom's back*

Dom: *Continues crying but gives the preview anyway* Next…*sniff* Time on Don't Trust Me: *Hic* El-Elizabeth finds herself in a change of scenery. *Blows Nose* From rags to riches; can she fake her way through a high-class, high-stakes party she has no place being at? *sniff, sniff* Her improvisational skills - and self control - are put to the test. *cradles the french fry even closer*

Luv: There, there, it'll be alright. *Dom continues crying and mumbling something to the french fry* Note to self… when Dom asks me to go to the mall, just say I'll meet her there… See you guys next time!


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Meliodas had once again decided I needed to be blindfolded during the car ride. He talked and talked about meaningless garbage to make sure I couldn't focus on the turns. I was silent for too long at one point and he'd placed a hand on my knee that was exposed through the slit of my dress. It took all I had in me not to squeak in surprise at the feel of that calloused hand against my skin. And the strangely pleasant shiver it sent up my spine.

Needless to say, I didn't ignore him again.

When we were a block away, he removed the cloth from my eyes. The first thing I did was glare at him. He, of course, was smiling brightly. "Almost there," he told me with a vibrant smile. "Can't have you showing up with a blindfold on. People might talk." He chuckled at his own joke and I rolled my eyes.

It's the first time I'm able to get a bearing on the vehicle I'm in. The seats were a nice soft black leather, and with all the shiny buttons and lights making up the dash, I could tell it was something sporty - classy. Perhaps _too_ classy for a bar owner to have sitting around. I idly wonder if this was the same vehicle I was in before - but realize that it was too small. It was more likely the sins had a van too.

I choose not to comment on the car, instead looking out the window to take in the neighborhood. Well, I suppose neighborhood isn't quite right. We seem to be driving down a long driveway, lined on either side by trees pruned to perfection and lit up with string lights tangled in the branches. It wasn't until we had nearly reached the end that I began to recognize where we were. I wasn't expecting the party we were going to, to be at the Mayor's estate. I'd seen it on the news a few times when the mayor was running for reelection and held the press conferences on these grounds.

Suddenly, I understood the need for the dress.

We round the fountain and pull to a stop at the front steps leading to the front door. People milled about outside in the same black-tie garb as Meliodas and I, sporting champagne flutes and an air of prestige that I did not feel I was worthy to breathe.

Before I know it, though, Meliodas had climbed out of the car and come to open my door, offering me his hand to help me out.

 _What if I just… don't take it. Would he let me just sit in the car until he had what he needed?_

No. I can't let him do this alone. This is my case. I have to see it through. No matter the obstacles.

I take his hand, and he lifts me from my seat so that I can find solid ground in my stilettos, before he tosses his keys to a man waiting nearby, "Take care of her, will ya?" he asks the valet, who nods obediently before taking the car down a separate path.

 _Deep breathes. And smile… it's a party. People smile at parties._

Meliodas leads me up the small flight of marbled stairs where a tall burly man steps into our path, "Invitations, please." He demands, no-nonsense.

 _Invitations? Do we even have those?!_

I'm already losing my cool. I'm ready to turn and run, but Meliodas breaks my fretting thoughts with a smile as he reaches into his suit coat and pulled two crisp envelopes from within, passing them to the man without missing a beat.

The man eyed Meliodas and I, taking the papers from the envelopes to inspect them. My ears were ringing. How long did someone need to stare at a piece of paper?

As if answering my question, the man nodded, handing the papers back to Meliodas, "Thank you, please, enjoy the party." he said, waving us through.

" _How_ were you able to get an invite to this?" I hiss under my breath as Meliodas and I arrive in a large room. People decorated the area as music played softly in the background.

"Hmm?" Meliodas hummed as his eyes trailed across the room and it's occupants. "Gowther, mostly. King helped with the final touches." He replied quietly.

My eyes widened as I remembered Gowther's late arrival and King working at the laptop. "The flash drive." I whispered in realization.

His cheeky smile was all the confirmation I needed to know I was right.

"But how was King able to get that?" I ask under my breath. "They had to have used special paper and maybe even a watermark or something to make sure no one could forge it. Not to mention a set list of people and number of invitations. This is the mayor's home, they don't hand those things out to just anyone."

"You ask a lot of questions."

"Meliodas," I hiss a warning.

He sighs. "I already told you. Gowther got all the information, set us up under some fake names and upped the number of invitations by two."

I gawk, "he can do that?"

"I told you he was a gifted hacker." Meliodas grinned. "King took care of the actual execution of making the invitation. He's not as skilled as Gowther, but he's still pretty good. A better eye for those kinds of details anyways. Gowther's more analytical, King's gifts are… a different kind of brainy I guess you could say. He found the exact place that made the paper we needed, sent Ban to fetch it and came up with the watermark on his own."

"...how…?"

My head is spinning. King came off as a pretty average guy, nothing special about him other than being the only normal person at the Boar Hat. Sure I have mixed feelings on Diane and wish there was a way for us to be friends, but that didn't mean she was without her quirks. Most people don't threaten cops within twenty four hours of knowing them. Ban was even more eccentric than the bubbly brunette and Meliodas, as he seemed to thrive off pushing people's buttons.

Yet, with what Meliodas was implying, King was also a genius in his own right. Not as gifted as Gowther but that had to be expected when the kid had an IQ over 160. Just how far off was the Sin of Sloth? And if he was so smart, what the hell was he doing with a group like the Sins?

Gowther I could understand, at least somewhat. It was hard for the Sin of Lust to function in normal society. But from what I've seen of King so far, he could easily blend in with a higher standing crowd and have no problems mingling with any of them. The only time he seemed to struggle was with Diane and even that seemed more from the embarrassment of P.D.A than actual behavioral problems. The ginger haired man was just as easy to talk to as Diane at the bar and I much prefered conversation with them over Meliodas' smug ass.

"Each of us has something we're good at." Is all Meliodas tells me before redirecting the conversation. "Apparently Diane should have given you something a little less… flashy." I don't miss the mirth in his casual statement. "You're really turning some heads, Princess."

Heat flares to my cheeks. I glance around the room finding that there were, indeed, quite a few people looking my way. "Don't call me that," I grumble not meeting his gaze.

"Glad Di gave you something to showcase those legs of yours though," he continues as if I hadn't said anything. "Woulda been a shame to hide them." He says it in that same easy going manner he always seems to have. His gaze is hardly even on me as those bright green eyes lazily observe the room. "Looks good on you."

My stomach does those weird flips again at his last comment. It's the first time he's given me a compliment that hasn't sounded like some lame pickup line. I take a deep breath, hoping it'll calm the sudden racing of my heart. _What is going on with me? Why am I so nervous?_ Sure, I'm in the middle of a case that will make or break my career, but that doesn't seem to be the reason for my discomfort tonight.

I need a distraction. Again.

Snatching a glass from a passing waiter, I down the contents. Meliodas quirks an amused brow before grabbing one of his own. He takes a slip. "Don't be in too much of a hurry. We'll have plenty of time for drinking later."

"If you told me what, _exactly_ we were doing, I wouldn't have to drink to pass the time."

"Mingling," He answers, making a point to keep his voice down as he leads me away from anyone who might overhear us, "Take some time to eat, drink," he starts listing off things as he smiles and nods at those we pass in some sort of effort of being social, "Check out the mayor's office, maybe do some dancing and of course meet up with everyone back at the bar for some fun."

"What did you just say?" I gape at him, grip tightening dangerously on my glass and stopping dead in my tracks. I drop my voice with a quick glance around us, "You did _not_ just say check out the mayor's office!"

"Sure I did," he tilts his head like he's looking for someone in particular. "Why else would we be here?"

I'm starting to feel like the butt of a really bad joke. "What exactly do you need me here for?"

Finally, Meliodas turns his attention back to me, "Well, this is what you wanted my help for right? I know where to find some of the information you're looking for," he stares at me. "Plus, a guy coming to this alone is a lot more suspicious than one with a hot date."

I knew it… "You're insufferable," I scrunch my nose at him and he merely smiles.

"One of my more redeeming qualities," he jokes. "We should dance," he throws in out of nowhere and grabs my empty champagne flute to set it on a nearby table. He gently takes my wrist and leads me to the highly populated floor.

"W-what are you doing?" I stumble with my words as his hand comes into contact with my hip.

He quirks a brow, "dancing."

"Why?"

"A lot easier to look around a room this way," he explains lowly.

That intolerable grin on his face has me second guessing him. "Really? No other reason?"

"Well," he drawls, hand slipping slowly to rest on the small of my back, leaving a trail of goosebumps that very quickly spread like wildfire over my skin. "Wanna make sure everyone here knows you're with me." His hand is strong and steady and possessive all at the same time. A statement of ownership to anyone watching.

I roll my eyes, hoping my cheeks aren't as warm as I think they are. "We've been together since we got here. Seems obvious."

"I don't know, lots of rich people show up with one person at these things and leave with another," Meliodas' tone is teasing, but it seems to have a hint of truth hidden in there as well.

"How do you know that?" I frown.

He doesn't answer me, his eyes following someone behind me. "Think it's about time we make our move, Elizabeth."

My heart lurches at the sound of my name. "Already?" I try to ignore the odd sensation. His hand begins to roam a little too low to be appropriate. "W-What are you doing?"

A sly smirk greets me. "Setting the scene," he whispers.

" _What_?"

He pulls me off the dance floor, saying nothing more. His steps are faster than needed as we duck into what appears to be an empty hall. There's not a soul around as Meliodas slows his pace. My heart is pounding against my chest. Not even remotely prepared to be looking through rooms right now after his hands moved across my body so easily. We don't make it far down the hall before we are stopped.

"Hey! Where do you two think you're going?" The voice rattles me to my bones and I feel my entire body ignite. We'd been caught so easily, and we probably aren't even close to the main office yet.

I am in the process of coming up with an excuse when Meliodas wraps his arm around my waist, turning to see whoever had called after us, "C'mon man… you're being a total cock-block!" He gives a daring glare to the man, then looks back to me, pulling me close. Too close. I can feel every hair on my body stand on end as he pulls me closer still. "Isn't that right, baby?" he asks me in a gruff tone, that I'm embarrassed to admit I find seductive.

 _I hate you so much…_ His sudden actions on the dance floor making much more sense, though. He wanted us to be seen.

Without another thought, I wrap my arms around him too, pulling him closer to my cleavage than I ever want to see him again, "That's right," I pur, somehow managing to make my tone sound deep and sensual.

Veronica's voice in my head has me on edge. I can hear her telling me how terrible of a liar I am; ' _Elle the tell-all'_. I'll show her…

My fingers trace up Meliodas' back and I feel him shiver against me as my hand climbs all the way up to his unruly blonde hair. Twisting it in my fingers, I pull until I can lean in and kiss him. He's surprised, I can feel it in the way he hesitates to reciprocate. But he's quick to overcome his shock, pulling me so that he is dipping me towards the floor. It's long, and deep, and I lose myself in it. When was the last time I was kissed this… _passionately_?

We break apart and we're breathless. My heart is pounding. I can't get my head to stop spinning.

 _What was I doing?_

Right… I don't take my eyes off of Meliodas as I address our audience, "Tell us where the bathroom is or this hallway is going to get messy."

The man growls under his breath, saying something about 'this generation' and 'rabbits' before he finally concedes, "Down the hall, third door on the right." He says flatly before leaving us there in the hall.

Alone.

Meliodas pulls me upright.

Mortified didn't even begin to describe how I felt.

Even the blonde is quiet. A miracle that doesn't last long as a shit-eating grin replaces silent contemplation, "Definitely a closet freak." He says, confirming his and Ban's suspicions from days prior.

Yup. Mortified was only a _tenth_ of the emotion coursing through me. I spin in my heels trying desperately to hide the shade of red that currently made up my entire body and start down the hall without him, "Let's get this over with before I have to sacrifice any more of my dignity."

He catches up to me too easily, "Wonder what else you'd do for the sake of staying undercover. We may need you to makeout with Diane at some point. That'd be a damn good distraction." I can hear the ill covered amusement in his tone.

"Meliodas, I swear to god, I have a gun and I will shoot you."

"In that dress? There is no way you managed to bring a gun." he gives me the once over, before walking a step further, taking the lead.

 _Try me, asshole_.

* * *

Dom: *seems to be very focused on luv* He~y you! I wanna *hic* I wanna kiss you!

Luv: *looks at Dom very confused* Why? *hic* *has another drink of wine* That's silly. *bops Dom on the nose* You're silly~! *giggles, falling off her chair*

Dom: *touches her own nose in confusion taking several minutes to realize luv is now on the floor* Be~cause… wait… Luv? Where, did you… oh - *slides out of her own chair, bringing her glass of wine with her to sit on the floor* Cause. The *hic* wine told me to.

Luv: *rubs at her eyes sleepily* The wine? That's silly! You're silly~! *bops Dom's wine glass and bursts into another fit of giggles*

Dom: *rubs her cheek on the side of the glass* Ssshhhhh~ she did-*hic*-didn't mean it.

Luv: Dom, dom~! *Pokes the other side of Dom's cheek.* Is it my turn to give the *hic* the uh… what's the word… not story… um…

Dom: *sways back and forth before popping up slightly* Prologue! No… Preview! *hic*

Luv: *straightens up and attempts to snap fingers* That's it! Next time on *hic* Don't Trust Me: It's undercover in-inception as Elizabeth and Meliodas get closer to their target. But what *hic* else does this party have in store for them? And when they're really put to the test, will she blow her cover to save their asses? *giggles* asses… *busts out laughing and falls back over. starts snoring*

Dom: *Waves to the audience, swaying back and forth again* Bye~! See you *hic* guys nex- time

Luv: *continues mumbling in her sleep* ...King….


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

It takes almost ten minutes before Meliodas' finally picks a damn door.

I scowl at him as he picks it then pushes it open. "How do you know this is the right one?"

He throws a dubious look over his shoulder. "You think I'd just drag you in here without knowing where I was going?" He begins cautiously checking the room, searching for, unexpected guests I assume.

 _Yes,_ I mentally answer. Given how often the Sins seem to disappear at any given hour, I suppose it is highly possible that one of their trips included scoping out the Mayor's home. How exactly they managed to do it without getting caught is beyond me. Is the security in this place really so shitty?

"How'd you get past security?" I too begin searching without touching anything, even though I have no idea what I'm looking for. _Something incriminating,_ I tell myself. _That has to be why we're here._

"Ban and I've scoped this place out a number of times to get a schedule down." He replies as he pulls out a book and removes something from inside it, placing it in his pocket. "Something Ban is particularly skilled at. Sent King and Diane to a few of the parties too, before they officially got together. They made a really convincing couple. Blended in really well."

"Really?" I find it hard to believe given how King acts now.

"Sure. King's got the knowledge for mingling with the rich while Diane, well, she's a good looking woman and she knows it."

"You say that, but… I mean, with the way they act now? I can't imagine it was easy before they were together."

"It's a lot easier to pretend you have feelings than actually admitting to having them. Especially in their case," he removes another item from a plotted plant. There's a smile on his face as he looks at me over his shoulder for the first time since we entered the room. "You should really ask one of them how they met sometime." He laughs at his own private joke. Something about their story seems to be highly amusing to him.

It makes me extremely curious, but I push it aside and ask something else that's a bit more pertinent. "What are you doing?"

"Huh?" He pulls out something from underneath the windows edge, holding it out for me to look at.

An extremely small and highly advanced listening device rests in his hand. "A bug?" I stare at him dubiously. "You actually managed to bug this place?"

"Yep! King and Diane's handiwork, actually," he told me proudly. "Took them two trips to do but they managed to plant a couple."

" _How?_ " I can't wrap my head around them being this skilled. "How were they able to get back here more than once?"

"The same way we did, I'd imagine," his eyes scan me up and down, a sly smirk on his features.

I glance away from him, trying to suppress the reminder of our heated kiss. "I really can't imagine King being able to pull something like that off. Diane, yes. King, definitely not."

He shakes his head as he sits down behind the desk, placing the old flashdrive into the computer there. "I told you, it's a lot easier to act on feelings under the ruse of a cover. That way you don't have to own up to them. Can say it was all for show." His green eyes bore into mine so intensely, I can't hold his gaze. "Let's just say King was really good at playing his part and Dianes' never had a problem with it before."

"What does that mean?" I furrow my brows.

Meliodas shrugged. "Ask her yourself if you really wanna know." He directs his attention back to the computer. "Damn," he curses under his breath. "This is gunna take a little longer than I want it to."

"How long?"

"Probably a couple of minutes," he answers and leans back in the chair - clattering away on the keyboard. "Thank god we had Gowther get this ready before hand or it'd be a lot longer."

 _Fantastic._ My nerves are just about shot. We've been lucky so far, but that luck rarely lasts. My own curiosity is telling me to go look around the room. It wasn't everyday you found yourself in the mayor's office - I certainly never got the invitations. But, the cop in me knew that fingerprints can be pulled off of almost any surface… better to not tempt fate by leaving any.

With how alert I felt, I should have heard the door behind me opening. But I didn't. I didn't realize anything was wrong until I felt sharp, cold metal against my exposed back. I gasp silently, more surprised than scared, then roll my eyes.

 _Our luck just ran out._

I cleared my throat, making Meliodas glance up at me from behind the computer screen, confused, then understanding - staring hard at the person holding me at knife-point as my arms slowly raise from my sides in surrender.

I don't get a chance to raise them much further than shoulder height before a strong arm is wrapped around my body - trapping my arms at my chest, pulling me against them with the knife pressed to my throat. I could feel the blade scrape against my skin, feel it dig in. Just a little more pressure and he'd be slicing right through my jugular.

The man pushes us further into the office, using his foot to kick the door shut behind him. "What the fuck you doing in here?" I can't see my attacker, but his gruff voice tells me he isn't the same man that saw us leaving the party. Is he extra security? Or someone else entirely?

"Just looking into some things," Meliodas answers easily and slowly walks around the desk. "But, we're not looking for trouble."

"Stay right there!" The man demands, and the knife gets just a bit tighter. "How'd you get in here?"

"Had an invitation."

Meliodas glances to me every so often, and I can see the gears shifting in his head. He's trying to come up with a plan. His mind was running scenarios, trying to get us both out of here alive.

"Who's this, then?" The man hisses in my ear. His voice is dripping with want and desire; for me, for my blood, I wasn't sure. My hands grip his forearm tightly. "Your bitch?"

I suppress the growl that threatens to escape me at being captured and the idea that I would be considered _anyone's_ bitch - let alone Meliodas'. _Deep breathes, Elizabeth,_ I tell myself. Meliodas' expression is blank as his eyes meet my own for a split second longer. This glance had been different than the others. Filled with a new emotion, not just calculating. It was... angry...

"Let her go. She has nothing to do with this." He attempts to make another step towards me, his voice taking on a new tone. It's calm but demanding.

The man presses his knife harder into my throat and I can feel it start to slice into my skin. Was I just imagining the sensation of blood sliding down my chest? "Stop. Not another step or I'll cut her fucking throat!"

 _Fuck patience,_ I grit my teeth.

I throw my head back hard to smash his face, stunning him long enough to get a firm grip around his knife wielding hand. His grip is stronger than mine. I can tell by his muscle definition, but that won't help him here.

I push his hand and the knife away from me, using my grip and my hips, leaving a gap between us to swing back with a chop to the groin and then an elbow to his gut. The knife falls with a precise smack to his hand and I grin as I spin out of his grasp, rotating his arm. Using all of his weight and momentum to slam him into the nearest wall; I reach through the slit of my dress, pulling my firearm free from my thigh holster to press the barrel to the back of his head.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you not to sneak up on a lady?" I growl at him. My pulse is racing and my finger twitches on the trigger. _Just give me a reason…_ I can't help but pray.

"Bitch!" He chokes out, having found his voice after my assault to his family jewels. "What are you?! A fucking narc?!"

My eyes widen. Narc… a narcotics cop… Meliodas' words from my first day at the bar flood me; " _Pull that gun and your cover is blown…"_ He had been right. My training made me stand out. My gun only made it worse. If this man managed to get word out… all of the work I've done up till now would be wasted.

There is only one option for me here.

I get up, real close and personal with my would-be attacker, my eyes darting to Meliodas who watched me silently - waiting to see what I would do. "No." I purr in the most crazed way I possibly could, "I'm just a crime-boss's girlfriend."

I hate to admit how well I pull off the crazy lover…

Meliodas seems pleased with my performance too, as his brows shoot up, and that cocky grin makes its appearance once more. I had played right into the lie he'd been spewing since he first brought me to the bar.

 _Hate is too pedestrian. I loathe you, Meliodas. With every fiber of my being._

I could see the words forming in his mind before they could even reach his lips, and I hoped to whatever god was listening that he wouldn't say it.

"I am morbidly curious as to where you could have possibly hidden that and still managed to walk around comfortably."

He said it.

His smile only widened as I glared at him - grinding my teeth to refrain from snapping at him, hoping that my silent threat of death-by-multiple-gunshots to the head was reaching him regardless. The jackass even had the audacity to chuckle as he approached us. Meanwhile, I pull the man away from the wall, keeping an arm tight around his neck, and my gun sealed to his temple.

"As you can see, my girl here is something of a lethal weapon," he eyes me up and down. He seems almost… _proud…_ or perhaps I was misreading that darker look he was suddenly giving me. "So, why don't you go ahead and tell me who you think I am?"

I can hear my own pulse again. The man standing in front of me and our intruder was different than the Meliodas I'd come to know over the last few days. Like he took pleasure in the torture of others. Like he _craved_ bloodshed.

The man's eyes widen, fear apparent. He gulped audibly, I can feel his adam's apple move against my arm, and he says, "M-Meliodas. Leader of the Seven Deadly Sins."

I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from saying anything incriminating. This is Meliodas' game now, I'm just a pawn for the moment. His crazy queen.

"What makes ya say that?" Meliodas tilts his head as he looks the man in the eyes. "I could be anyone, really. Why the leader of one of the most deadly gangs out there?"

At this, the man scoffs, apparently finding his balls. "We know you."

"We?"

"... your b-"

A punch to his face silences the man I'm holding captive. He goes limp in my hold. I drop him and the gun, scowling at the blonde and his sudden shift. "What the fuck did you do that for?"

Meliodas is silent for a moment, his hair hiding his eyes from me. He seems oddly tense and my normal bravado falters. Reassuring myself that the man on the floor isn't conscious, I place a hand on his shoulder. He stiffens. "Um, Meliodas?" I nibble my lip anxiously.

"We should get going," he responds, placing his hand over mine only to remove it from his shoulder. He hunches down and starts pulling the man before his mood shifts again and he gives me an overly bright grin. "Let's toss this guy out the window."

My jaw drops. "What?! You can't be serious."

"Sure I am. We're on the first floor, he'll be fine!" He tells me cheerily, already opening the window behind the desk.

"But-!"

"Elizabeth," he silences my protest. The gaze in his green eyes is no longer playful. His patience is wearing thin. "He can't be found in here. They'll know something's up. When he wakes up outside, he isn't going to risk coming back in. We'll be long gone by that time anyways."

"You don't know that," I try to argue softly, wary of him. "He could be working for the mayor."

"He isn't."

My mind is spinning with questions. But one look at those hard green eyes tells me no more questions would be tolerated. Not right now. I nod and Meliodas pushes the man out the window. Despite myself, I rush over next to him to make sure the stranger is okay.

"Bushes, perfect," Meliodas' cheery tone is back. "Almost forgot about those. They'll make good cover."

He spins on his heels and sits down behind the desk again. I glance at the man, barely visible from above, he'll be completely hidden from any other angle. I shut the window slowly. By the time I turn back to Meliodas, he's already sliding the flash drive back into his pocket, and pulling a cloth from his jacket's inner pocket to wipe the keyboard.

"Arlight. Let's go."

He goes to the door, looking out into the hall while I retrieve my gun from the floor. With my back to Meliodas, I heft my dress only high enough that I can hide my firearm in the holster wrap clinging to my thigh. When I turn around, Meliodas is still watching the hall. Miracles do happen, it seems.

We make our way back towards the main area of the party. Meliodas pulls me closer. Remembering how we left, I loop my arm through his and practically drape myself over him - but the strange twists I felt earlier in my stomach are not there this time. The same man who stopped us earlier turns and scowls at us as he takes in our disheveled appearance. Guess getting in a fight wasn't the worst thing. It seems to add to the ruse we had setup as the man makes no comment, glancing away uncomfortably.

To my surprise, Meliodas shifts direction, instead leading me right back to the dance floor. "What are you doing?" I ask under my breath.

"Be kinda suspicious if we just left right after sneaking away to," he smirks at me. "Ya know." He's acting the same as usual, but something is different. Off. It's almost like he's forcing himself. There's a hint of agitation in him that I can't quite place.

I scowl at him. "You really think they're paying that close attention to us?"

"Yes."

We dance for a few songs. Mingle with a few people and before I know it, we're back in the car, leaving the party. Everything had passed in a blur after our conversation. It felt good to be in the car once more. Not having to worry about prying eyes. We're about a block away from the Mayor's house when Meliodas stops the car. He blindfolds me once again and I say nothing against it. In fact, he doesn't even try to distract me during the drive. We sit in complete silence the entire drive back.

My mind wanders to the man who caught us. What was he going to say? And…

 _Why didn't Meliodas want me to hear it?_

* * *

Luv: *twists her hands and arms while sliding feet along the floor while mumbling to herself.* Okay, so if I put my hands like this...

Dom: *Walks in the door, only to pause and stare completely confused* … Luv? What are you doing?

Luv: *turns to give Dom a bright smile* Morning Dom! *continues going back to what she was doing.* I'm airbending! Can't ya tell? *twirls around in a circle* Don't tell me you've never seen Avatar: The Last Airbender!

Dom: *tilts head to watch at an angle* Looks more like you're wrestling an invisible bear. *Looks excited* I WANNA WRESTLE THE INVISIBLE BEAR!

Luv: *jumps out of the way as Dom springs into action* Whoa, whoa!

Dom: FEAR ME BEAR! I SHALL SMITE YOU! *Starts rolling around like she is, in fact, wrestling an invisible mammal*

Luv: ... Well *scratches her cheek in thought* that answers my question of what kinda bender you would be… fire.. Definitely fire...

Dom: *Grunts while holding some invisible form in a half-nelson* Next time on Don't Trust Me: As it turns out, being a criminal is not nearly as cut-and-dry as Elizabeth expected. And when she thinks their mission was a success, *Flips over to body slam the invisible bear* IT ALL CHANGED WHEN THE FIRE NATION ATTACKED!

Luv: Uh… *cautiously approaches Dom, hunching down to whisper* ... wrong story.

Dom: *Thinks for a moment* Oh… I mean… *Looks at luv confused* Are you sure? Cause there was-

Luv: YES I'M SURE! *clears throat, embarrassed* Uh, so, where were we before the fire nation attacked… Whatever, that's enough for this week! See ya next time! *tries to shove Dom back out of the room*

Dom: *Looks back and tries to dig her heels in as she's forced out the door* But Luv! We haven't even told them about that wommmm mnn! *Voice becomes muffled as the door slams*


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Being alone with Meliodas in the bar was… weird. Neither of us said much of anything as we drank to help pass the time. It was strange seeing the Boar Hat so empty on a Saturday night compared to how full it was until the early morning during the week.

We'd gotten back and I wordlessly made a bee-line to my room to shower and change. I wanted to wash away any hint of the party and what had transpired there. It was also a good excuse to get away from the blonde for a bit. He'd shown me a side of himself that was closer to what I imagined a crime boss would look like. Cruel. Demanding. Downright scary.

But that peace could only last so long. So I had rejoined him in the bar.

Finally, after what seemed like hours of waiting; Ban, King and Diane returned.

A surprising amount of relief washed over me at seeing their faces once again. No one appeared hurt on the surface - though they did seem to be covered in… ash? King and Diane offered me tired smiles, and I found myself returning them. Meliodas eyed me, I can see him raising a curious brow and I hoped that he hadn't noticed how much tension left my body at the realization the three of them were okay - or at not being alone anymore. I recovered quickly, smile gone from my face as quick as it had come.

"... Please tell me you guys didn't set a building on fire…" I joked with a deep frown at the trio - remembering the Sins' record of alleged arson.

"Uh, technically… no…" King responded, but refused to meet my gaze. Never a good sign.

My frown quickly turned to concerned shock as my joke turned to reality.

Diane chuckled awkwardly and Ban snorted. His crimson eyes had no trouble meeting my aqua. "Not that it's any of your business. But no. We didn't," Ban towered over me as he crossed his arms. "Dumbasses tried to put out an oil fire with water."

"What?" I furrowed my brows, confused that he actually knew what that meant. "Why was there a fire in the first place?"

"Um, that actually, was… kinda… my fault…" King interrupted the stare down between Ban and I.

"Really?" Meliodas drawled with obvious interest as he smiled. "How'd that happen?"

The Sin of Sloth scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Well… I was trying to create a distraction by lighting a small, really, small barrel of oil on fire. It wasn't near anything else!" He quickly added as he saw my mouth open to chew his ass out. "I left the metal lid right next to it. I _assumed_ the bozo's nearby would know not to throw water on top of it and use the lid I left behind….. They didn't…."

"Yeah, they came in with a bucket of water, dumped it in and WHOOSH!" Diane threw her hands up in the air. "Wasn't really what we wanted but, it worked," she shrugged. I stare at her blankly and she smiled before sending me a wink.

"Work it did!" Ban chuckled as he rested his arm on King's head. The shorter man stared at the ground in embarrassment. "The building starting on fire was their fault, not yours."

My mouth dropped open. "You _actually_ set a building on fire? I was JOKING! I can't believe you guys did that!"

"Whoa, cool your jets, _Princess,_ " Ban's smile fell slightly. "I toldja we didn't. If the morons woulda used the lid nearby, there wouldn'ta been one. Plus," he gave me a crooked grin. "We _are_ criminals."

I'm fuming. Ready to smack that smile off his face. As if he could sense my irritation, the tall oaf just smiled even wider.

"Was anyone hurt?" Meliodas' flat tone cut through my angry haze.

"Of course not!" King snapped his head up at that, finally looking him in the eye. "The fire was my stupid idea," his hand gripped his shirt tightly over his chest, "but there were only five guys there at the time. As soon as it started to spread, they left."

"We made sure of it," Diane nodded her head, a hand gripping King's shoulder, Ban's elbow still on his head.

With Meliodas standing in front of them like that, _they really look like a team_. I pushed the thought aside. This was no time to get caught up in how the Sins were almost like a task force. Not the criminals the law thought them to be. No matter what way I diced it, there was still a blinding difference between us.

I was on the side of the law.

They were carrying it out on their own.

"Good!" Meliodas easily slipped back into that cheery attitude. "I'm assuming you got everything then?"

"Course we did." Ban grinned as he removed his arm from King. He tapped at his shoulders, then his back and frowned. "Wait, where did I put that?" He grumbled as he continued patting himself down.

"I took them," King sighed as he pulled a bag off his back and placed it on a nearby table. "I could hardly let you keep track of something so important."

I'm surprised to see Ban's grin return and instead of an insult he said, "Always looking out for me, aintcha?"

"Elaine would be upset if I didn't."

Diane giggled. She leaned in and gave King an affectionate kiss to the cheek. "You're a good big brother."

"I've got a lot to make up for… being Ban's babysitter is the least I can do," he responded with a sad smile. Diane shook her head, not responding with words but instead a chaste kiss to his lips.

"How many times have I told you, you gotta learn to let that go," Meliodas frowned slightly at him. King answered with a mere shrug of his shoulders.

"You… have a sister?" I couldn't help but ask. Suddenly the conversation I overheard my first night here jumped to my mind. The name, Elaine, it was familiar.

"Uh, yeah," King answered unsurely. He appeared to mull it over before sighing heavily, as if this wasn't actually a topic he wanted to discuss. "I have a little sister. Her name is Elaine."

"A little sister?" I could hardly believe it. I thought all the Sins were loners who were thrown together by some odd sense of justice. To hear King had family was something I hadn't really considered before. I hadn't entertained the idea that any of them had.

"She ain't that much younger than you," Ban rolled his eyes.

King scowled up at him, the gaze holding no real anger. "Two years, five years, either way you'd still be a pain in my ass."

"You couldn't ask for a better in-law than me!"

"Yes. I could. And I have," the ginger haired man deadpanned.

Meliodas chuckled, "he's not so bad. You coulda got a lot worse than him, King. Elaine is quite the looker."

"Boss!" King shouted as Ban laughed heartily.

"Though I do prefer my girls a bit curvier," the blonde sent a side glance at me.

I feel my skin heat. My mind betrayed me, thinking of the passionate kiss we shared at the party. I stuff those thoughts down, instead focusing on the now, and reminding myself that just an hour ago I was scared of the guy. If I dwell on that too long and my own embarrassment of it, I may combust.

"I keep telling ya," Ban shook his head with a mirthful grin. "Flat chests are the way to go!"

"Damnit Ban!" King took a swing at the much taller man, Meliodas and Diane sharing a look before they laugh.

"Wait," I combined the rest of the conversation from that night, thankful for the mental click putting it all together. King said Ban couldn't compare his relationship with Elaine to his with Diane. "You're dating his little sister?"

"Sure am!" Ban sent me a blinding smile. I blinked at the sight of it. Not once had I seen such a genuine expression of happiness on the Sin of Greed's face. "Been with her for about two years now."

"It's about the only time I've seen him nice is when Elaine is around," Diane added with a giggle.

"Does she come here often?" I questioned. Even to my own ears it sounded like I was fishing.

King and Ban's pleasant expressions turned hard as they narrowed their eyes in sync at me. "No. She isn't involved in this so don't try to add her name to that list you're keeping," King told me flatly.

His tone wasn't unkind, but it definitely wasn't one he'd directed at me before. It threw me off. "I-I wasn't-"

"You were," Ban cut in. "Elaine isn't involved and she won't _ever_ be. So leave her out of whatever little investigation you're doing in that pretty little head of yours." He tapped my forehead none too gently.

I scowled up at him, cursing his height. "I didn't mean to sound like that. I was just curious…" I gave King an apologetic smile, knowing he was only looking out for his sister. Reluctantly, I did the same for Ban. Both were still on edge, but they seemed to relax. At least a little.

 _Whoa, they must really care for her._ Which somehow just made me want to know even more about the mysterious Elaine. They could easily be lying to me about her. At the same time I couldn't help but think they wouldn't _want_ her to be involved. The Sins lived a dangerous life after all, even if Ban and Meliodas were the only publicly known members.

"Curiosity killed the cat. Isn't that how the saying goes?" Diane hummed as she delivered a tray of drinks to the nearest table. "Why don't we all just have a drink and go over what we found, okay?"

"Whaddya guys find in that dirt bags office?" Ban asked as he collapsed into a chair. He nodded his head in thanks to Diane and then grabbed a mug.

"Not as much as I was hoping," Meliodas admitted with a small frown, plopping down to Ban's left. King sat on the blonde's other side and I took the open seat next to him. Diane ducked back into the kitchen.

"We were almost caught," I added. A reluctant shiver passed through me at the embarrassing memory. "Twice."

A smirk formed on Meliodas' lips. "And Princess here saved my ass both times."

"Really?" King quirked a brow curiously.

"Find that hard to believe," Ban mumbled into his mug.

"I don't," Diane arrived back at the table with some food. "The way she carries herself spells _total badass_." She winked at me.

"I didn't do anything that great…" I ignored the heat building on my cheeks. If I didn't think about it, didn't acknowledge it, I could pretend it never happened.

"Well I don't know about that. The fact that you snuck a _gun_ into the party is pretty great." Meliodas' expression was smug and seemingly impressed. A weird combination that made me want to throw something at him.

Diane's eyes widened and I can only assume that she knew how difficult it was to hide anything in that ensemble, "Oh.." I blushed under her knowing gaze. "Oh wow. I didn't know you had that kind of… _skill_ , Elizabeth." She bit her lip to keep from smiling. "Very impressive." She winked at me again.

"What are you guys talking about?" King glanced between the three of us.

"Just some of the unknown capabilities of Princess' that I was lucky enough to be a part of." Meliodas' smirked deviously at me. I wanted to slap him and yet… I couldn't help thinking of that stupid kiss again.

I took a long drink from my mug. I slammed it back down on the counter. "Can we just move on please?" I scowled at him.

"Sure, sure," Meliodas replied easily. "So we found a few more locations, didn't get too much time to look over it. Got it all right here though," the blonde held up the flash drive.

"Nice~," Ban droned with a nod of his head. "When we gunna take a peek?

"King can look it over tomorrow," Meliodas shrugged. "What about you guys?"

"Lots of files," King answered as he opened his backpack, fingering through the papers. "Don't think we should look at them up here though."

Meliodas nodded. "So despite the small… hiccup," he sent a look at King that had the Sin of Sloth sinking in his chair, mumbling another apology. "Everything went smoothly?"

"Yep!" Diane smiled. "Nothing to it, really. One of our smoother operations."

"How often do you guys do these kinds of… operations," I asked cautiously.

With how often King and Ban would leave the bar throughout the day, it's hard to pinpoint what they may have been doing. But Meliodas mentioned that he and Ban had scoped out the mayor's place more than once. Did they do this the previous night with King? Logic told me that they would have recently checked the place out and I couldn't help but wonder if they'd done so with me being none the wiser.

"Whenever they're needed," Meliodas answered vaguely. I rolled my eyes at him and he merely smirked. "Alright let's move elsewhere, shall we?" He must have been talking about the "inner sanctum".

We all made to stand, but before I could even take a step, the building shook violently beneath me. I tripped and expected to meet the hard floor. Instead I found Meliodas' body under mine. His green eyes were a mixture of amusement and worry. How could they be so contradicting? And why did I feel so conflicted about him? I placed my hands on his chest, trying to push off him, but he held me firmly in place with an arm around my waist.

His other held his ale. Not a drop spilled.

"What the hell was that?" Ban grumbled as he stood.

"An earthquake?" Daine questioned and began cleaning up the spilled ale on the table with a rag.

"I don't think so…" King pondered outloud. "It kinda felt more like…"

"Huh," Meliodas commented from underneath me. His expression had relaxed much more. "Didn't think she'd be showing up tonight."

I glared down at him. His hand moved to press against the small of my back and I involuntarily shivered. "Let me up," I demanded with pursed lips.

He grinned at me, "no thank you?"

A biting retort was on the tip of my tongue. Ban answered instead. "Uh… you guys smell smoke?"

My eyes widened and I sniffed the air, Meliodas copying the action. "Well, that's not good," the blonde replied casually as he sat up, my legs falling to the side to straddle him. My face heated at the intimate position.

"We're gunna go check that out," Diane spoke from the hall, a sly smirk on her features as well as Ban's. King must already be down the hall.

"You two come when you're ready~" the white haired buffon wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at us.

"May be a while!" Meliodas responded with a cheeky grin. That stupid smile caused my stomach to flutter.

"Ugh!" I groaned as I pushed him away and scampered out of his lap. "You can stay here. _I'm_ going to check that out."

"Damn," he sighed as he stood up next to me, following my hurried steps. "Was hoping for a repeat from earlier." My arm swung out in an attempt to backhand him. The infuriating blonde merely ducked under my blow and walked past me, but not before sending a smug grin over his shoulder.

"Holy shit," I heard Ban curse. "What the fuck were you doing down there?"

I rounded the corner as two figures emerged from the black smoke pouring out of yet another door I had not really noticed. Ban, King, and Diane stand just outside the doorway, shirts pulled up to cover their mouths.

"I informed her that it was an ill advised combination and the likelihood of an explosion was 67 percent." A somewhat monotone cadence answered. The voice was not unfamiliar to me. It was Gowther - the young man I had met the night before.

"And I told you that I was looking for something with a violent reaction." This was a woman's voice now. She came out of the smoke, waving to clear the air and coughing.

"That was too violent of a reaction. Your calculations were wrong." Gowther removed his glasses and rubbed the blackened lens with the - mostly - unsoiled undershirt he wore under his hoodie.

The woman laughed at his humorless words, finding the utter chaos fuming behind her funny. "My calculations were perfect. I chose to increase the ratio to see what would happen."

 _Wait… I… know that voice. And that morbid sense of humor…_

I studied the woman carefully. She was covered in dark smudges and her black hair was frizzed at the edges when it normally hung perfectly at her neck. Despite all of that, I recognized her.

"Merlin?" I asked, even though I knew it was her. Something in me hoped I was wrong, I guess. I had to be wrong. There was no way that this woman was here.

The tall languid woman stopped chortling before turning to me with mischief lighting up her already bright golden eyes, "Oh my, well hello there detective. Nice to see you outside of the crime lab!"

* * *

Luv:... do you think we should get bunk beds? I mean… we'd have so much more room for activities!

Dom: *Looks around room stuffed with everything imaginable, while huddled up on a small cot next to Luv* Oh my gosh… you're so right! We NEED BUNK BEDS!

Luv: Yay! *jumps off the cot in excitement and lands on a lego replica of the Boar Hat* Ow! *stares at the jumbled mess of legos* Oh… Oh no…. *stares cautiously at Dom* Ops?

Dom: *Dramatically falls to her knees from the cot and screams* NOOOOOOOOoooooooo *to the ceiling. If this were an action film, there would be rain - but its not. So the neighbors upstairs stomped, demanding she stop screaming*

Luv: Shhhhh! *throws a hand over Dom's mouth* They already hate us - what with the dramatic music, all my singing, the bending of the elements -

Dom: *Moves luvs hand long enough to say* Don't forget the bear wrestling.

Luv: *nods her head, while keeping a careful eye on Dom. Making sure she's done with her outburst.* Uh huh and there's that PLUS we've had more than a few complaints about our drunken nights. Really. We don't have a problem with wine. Wine has a problem with us!

Dom: *rolls her eyes* gosh… don't these people know this is all part of the creative process?! I NEED TO LET MY IMAGINATION RUN NAKED AND FREE IN WHATEVER DIRECTION IT DAMN NEAR PLEASES! *Screams at the ceiling*

Luv: *grabs a pillow and chucks it at Dom* Shhhhh! Please no naked talk! I don't think I can handle another one of those episodes. I'd rather not relive the whole "fire nation attacking" fiasco... *clears throat* Anyways.. Next Time on Don't Trust Me: Elizabeth is feeling the weight of being undercover as she learns just how deep the sins' power runs. Before the night is done, she'll have to decide what's more important - Her HONOR or solving the case? The appearance of the last sin may just make that decision that much harder.

Dom: *Continues screaming obscenities at the ceiling - much of which make no sense anymore, so we've decided to let you use your imagination*

Luv: *doorbell rings along with loud knocks at the door* Uh oh *begins to frantically pile blankets on top of Dom* Pretend we aren't home! Maybe they'll go away this time!

Dom: *Screams muffled by blankets* I WILL NOT BE SILENCED! *Her screams though, are more like whispers, so she has, in fact, been silenced.*

Luv: Ufda… *lets out a heavy sigh of relief as Dom's voice continues to come out muffled. The knocking stops* Well that's at least one crisis averted this week. Cya guys next time!


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

"What the hell are you doing here Merlin?"

My insides twisted as I glare down a woman I know… or at least I thought I knew. She eyed me a moment, searching me before a cheshire grin spread over her lips, "I assume we're here for the same reason, detective."

"She's being called Princess." Gowther added, pushing his glasses back up his nose.

It didn't take a genius to figure out this was the woman Meliodas had mentioned the other night. The only person Gowther stuck around the bar for. _Gluttony_.

Ban leaned into my peripheral vision, and I try to ignore him as he looked between me and the object of my intense stare-off. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you two know each other~" his sing-song tone came off a bit suspicious, but given his previously stated distrust in cops, I suppose I'm not all that surprised.

King sighed with a shake of his head, "Get a clue, moron. Of course they know each other."

The second in command looked down at him petulantly and there was a flurry of insults thrown between the two, not that I could hear them. No, I didn't care to hear a repeat of an argument the two had almost daily. My jaw tightened as my focus switched to Meliodas.

His gaze was on me. Watching. Waiting. A bystander observing the implications of this encounter hit me, wave after wave. Merlin was a sin. The Sin of Gluttony. But that wasn't all. Merlin was a scientist. A forensic scientist and an outside consultant for the crime lab. This woman was responsible for helping our department crack some of our most high profile cases. Her expertise had aided in the incarceration of mob bosses, politicians, corrupt officials, serial killers...

This woman had been something of a hero in my eyes. A woman with fire. A woman who could stare the worst of men dead in the face and prove their guilt. A woman who could play hardball - refusing to be defined by age or sex. And she would do it with that same grin she was giving me now.

Right here… standing in the middle of a bar that was the headquarters of the Seven Deadly Sins.

It was no wonder we never found anything tying them to the crimes. That had been bothering me for a couple days now - wondering how a ragtag group of accident prone vigilantes managed to leave no trace. They probably had. They just had someone on the inside who could destroy or corrupt it. The department never once suspected they had infiltrated our ranks.

I couldn't help but feel this is some sort of power play. Meliodas could have told her to stay away. Forever kept me in the dark; kept me from knowing that my own office wasn't safe from his prying eyes.

It was like he was asking me, " _What will you do now? Knowing this newest piece of information…"_

Was it a test? For my resolve; of my loyalty to the cause; my loyalty to my word?

I glanced away from him, unable to speak. But my chest ached with the decision I'd made. I had no choice but to look the other way. It's the price I had to pay to break my case open.

"Esh, you really did it this time, Mer," Ban commented, leaning into the open doorway, careening his neck to better his view of what lay below - and again, I was forgotten. My presence, my plight, my struggle here; a changed subject in favor of something else.

"We may wanna call Pride…" King suggested with a quirked brow as he studied Gowther and Merlin. His gaze flickered from me over to Meliodas, but he made no comment on my obvious distress.

"That would be a wise decision." Gowther said without looking at anyone. "Merlin would have inhaled her concoction upon its explosion."

"I already called him," Diane assured them as she wiggled her cellphone. I hadn't even noticed she left to make the call. She too glanced my way, but said nothing to me. "Said he'd be right over."

Ban and Meliodas shared smug grins. "Course he will!" The blonde laughed, elbowing the much taller man in the stomach good naturedly.

"Never known the man to say no when it involved his, _Sweet Gluttony,_ " Ban chortled along with him.

King rolled his eyes at the pair but even he couldn't stop from cracking a smile. "He would have came either way, ya know."

"Of course, he would," Diane nodded and smiled along. "But he'll get here a lot faster knowing it's Merlin who needs his help." She giggled and bumped shoulders with the older woman.

They all started to push into the main bar area, chatting, exchanging remarks about only god knew what, leaving me where I stood.

 _How much of myself would I need to sacrifice to accomplish what I came here to do?_

"You alright?"

I didn't realize Meliodas had stayed with me -and while his words were soft and concerned, I only found his presence infuriating. I turned an incredulous look on him, scoffing, "Does that even fucking matter to you?" I hissed at him rhetorically under my breath, catching a glimpse of his surprised expression before I found my way to the kitchen. The answer was simple. I didn't need him confirming or denying it to know the truth.

In the meantime though, there were still two people in need of medical attention. And until the person called _Pride_ arrived, I would make sure all of the first aid was ready.

For the most part, the others left me to do just that. Thankfully. I just couldn't stand being in anyone's company for very long, right now. Unfortunately, there weren't enough things to gather to take up the time I needed to reign in my wayward thoughts. Mindless chores it was then. I found myself washing the dishes left in the sink before I'd even thought much on it. Anything to keep from going off.

 _Was nothing sacred anymore?_ My office. My records. My coworkers. What else did the Sins have their hands on?

I needed to talk to Howser. But what could I say? It'd been a week since my initial check in. He was bound to be worried again. Maybe it wouldn't matter so much what I said. The comfort of a longtime friend's voice would be far more soothing than just sitting here and wallowing in my own self pity. Even if I didn't offer specifics, Howser always had a way of knowing just what to say.

 _Now if only I could get to a phone…_

Lost in my own thoughts, I hadn't noticed the sharp edge of the knife hiding beneath the bubbles, until I felt the undeniable ache of skin slicing open. "Ow! Fuck!" I pulled my hand out of the water quickly, waving it like it was on fire. I held my palm, watching as blood pooled to the surface, mixing with the water still on my hands.

It wasn't deep, but it was certainly painful. I cursed under my breath again, ready to turn to look for a towel, but found my view of the injury suddenly obscured by a white cloth pressed firmly to the open wound. And the person holding said cloth did so without looking up at me.

"You should be more careful," Meliodas murmured, peeling the cloth back to inspect the injury and then reapplying it. No grin. No sign of his typical devil-may-care attitude. But he also hadn't shifted to angry either. There was a tenderness with which he handled my hand and my wrist as he encouraged me to come to a chair in the back corner of the kitchen. A set of shelves sat to my left, and I watched him fish out another first aid kit that had been hidden behind a stack of pans.

Without a word, he knelt in front of me, pulling cotton swabs from the little pack he placed on the ground next to him, then dabbing and cleaning the hand he cradled in his own. He was so diligent, and it was probably the quietest and most thoughtful I've seen him.

 _Why?_

Didn't this guy realize how much he pissed me off?

"I can bandage my own hand." my voice betrayed just how done I am.

"I'm sure you can." He replied, easily, but it didn't deter him from treating my wound. Always the chivalrous knight in shining armor...

My words to him earlier echo in my head. It made me angry that his actions towards me actually mattered to me in any way. He was a criminal. He was a means to an end. And when this was all over, I planned on taking him and all his other lackeys down…

So why did it bother me so much? Why did his acts of kindness and feigned interest get to me so bad?

"Why are you doing this?" I asked him, my heart taking the reigns. I wanted to know why he insisted on playing the good guy.

He was smart. Smarter than I gave him credit for. Every single move he'd made in this relationship had been expertly planned and executed. Every time I thought I had a leg up, he would prove me wrong - allowing me to know about Merlin was positive proof of that. He had all the cards. He had to realize that. So why? Why bother pretending?

I watched his eyes study his own movements as he expertly wrapped a gauze around my palm. His expression didn't shift and he made no attempt at answering my question. How very typical of him.

A frustrated sigh escaped through my nose. I'm angry. And humiliated. I was just another tool at his disposal. Just another pawn in his game. "Just stop it," I hissed, turning my face away, unable to watch him touching me, "You don't have to keep pretending, Meliodas. I'm a big girl. I can handle myself."

 _Stop pretending like I matter at all to you._

"You're wrong about me, Elizabeth."

I glanced back at him, surprised by how gently he said my name - the fact that he used my name at all. And this time, he was looking right at me. I'm caught by those emeralds. Entranced by their shine, by the resolve there. Why did my stomach always see fit to start a gymnastic routine when he looked at me?

He allowed himself another moment staring me in the eyes before he glanced down - long enough to finish off the tie of the gauze, "I'm not pretending. It does matter to me."

There was the smallest pull to his lips, as he passed to me the most genuine grin I've seen on his face. It was reassuring - kind. The type of grin that said " _You matter to me. I'm on your side"_.

But was he really? Or was that my thudding heart putting words in my head, hoping that was the case? I swallowed hard, watching as he stood from his place on the floor and meandered to the door separating us from the rest of the bar, shooting one last soft smile over his shoulder as if to re-iterate his words. A plea for me to think on what he'd told me.

And then he was gone.

Was it wrong for me to hope he did mean what he said? My rational brain said yes - that this was nothing more than a poor attempt at getting me to sympathize with him. My less-rational heart, however, was less convinced. My mind replayed the words Meliodas had said at the party, about King and Diane. _Lot easier to pretend you have feelings than actually admitting to having them,_ his voice rang in my head. The reminder did nothing to relieve any of my confusion and only made me wonder more.

 _Was he only talking about King and Diane?_

I frowned down at the hand he had wrapped so carefully. There's no time right now to sift through all of the emotions I'm feeling. I'm too tired. Too much had happened for me to organize it neatly. I sighed again, much louder now that I'm the only one in the kitchen, and decided I've had enough time pouting.

I left the kitchen, finding everyone where I had left them, sans Meliodas, who now sat at one of the bar stools. He allowed more of his usual grin to filter through as he looked back at me and my reappearance, and I found that I couldn't keep eye contact with him without feeling heat in my face - instead, busying myself with filling a couple of mugs with beer and passing one to him.

I'm mad, not rude. No sense in drinking alone.

No sooner had I finished filling the second mug for myself that the bar's front door flew open and a blonde man with glasses stood there, panting heavily. "M-merlin? Is she… okay?"

His grand entrance had nearly made me jump out of my skin, but somehow I managed to keep a tight grip on my drink. This man had to be the one called _Pride_. Who else would be showing up at this time of night in such a bold fashion?

"I'm fine, Escanor," said woman assured him from her spot at a table with Gowther and King. I got the sense the three of them had been discussing something. "There was no need for you to come. Diane got a bit trigger happy with the phone."

The accused merely giggled and whispered something to Ban, both of them laughing loudly.

"You need to be checked," Gowther insisted - or at least what he could pass for insisting. "You did not wear a mask as I suggested."

"A calculated risk," Merlin answered with a smile.

"I told you, your calculations were wrong," Gowther responded flatly.

"Uh," Escanor interrupted the two swiftly. "I'd feel better if I could just take a look. At both of you."

"But I am fine." The young genius defended montone. "I took the necessary precautions, unlike Merlin."

If I didn't know anything about Gowther, I would almost think that he was arguing. But he wasn't. Just stating facts like he did the time before. He wasn't trying to be rude. Just trying to understand what, to him, must be a simple matter.

Escanor hummed. "That Merlin doesn't listen much, does she?" His question was directed at Gowther, neither men looking at each other. He set up a bag on the table and began digging within it. Apparently my gathering of the first aid kit was a fruitless effort.

"No."

For the first time since knowing Merlin, I saw a small scowl on her face. "I listen just fine. I chose to do the opposite for the sake of better understanding."

"I'm sure," Escanor answered her politely before ripping open, what I assume must be a disinfectant cloth. He approached Gowther and kindly asked, "may I take a blood sample? I know you are at a lower risk than Merlin, but I'd like to take one just in case. Better to be safe right, Gowther?" His ocean blue eyes were nothing but sincere as the young genius' gaze flickered to his and then away just as quickly.

"Very well."

"Thank you," Escanor's smile softened. "I know you don't much care for needles. I'll be quick."

Gowther said nothing in response and I realized the bar was weirdly quiet. One look around the room told me everyone was just as engrossed by the pair as I was. I had the feeling Gowther didn't converse with many people outside of Merlin and Meliodas. Was Escanor also on this list?

Escanor continued chatting, as if to distract the young man. His voice was calm and soothing, unlike when he'd first shown up. "It's a good thing Merlin has you here to look out for her."

"Yes," Gowther agreed with a single nod of his head. "She takes too many risks."

"Calculated," Merlin reminded them even as the small smile on her face renewed. "They aren't risks if they're calculated."

"By definition, risks are those that expose to danger, harm, or loss. Purposefully ignoring faulty calculations are, thus, risks." The genius replied flatly.

Merlin chuckled.

"There, all done," Escanor placed a band aid over the spot he drew blood from. "Thankfully I brought my kit with. We should know if you need further treatment within a few hours. Will you please stick around until then Gowther?"

"Yes."

"Thank you, now," he turned to the forensic scientist and suddenly, his calm demeanor seemed to dissipate as his gaze had skipped up from Merlin to me across the bar, and then he did a double-take. "Oh… uh…" He looked like a deer in the headlights. "I… had no idea we had company." He finished, stepping closer to Merlin, but peeking up at me like I might attack.

"No need to worry," Meliodas assured him with a grin. "This is just Elizabeth. Elizabeth, meet Pride. Pride, meet Elizabeth."

"I thought we were referring to her as Princess?" Gowther tilted his head.

"Princess?" Escanor repeated the code name. His eyes shifted to King as he said, "you have another sister?"

"No!" King shouted a little louder than necessary. His cheeks were pink and I had to wonder if it's from alcohol or embarrassment. "See!" he pointed an accusing finger at Meliodas. "Told you Princess was a bad name."

Meliodas rolled his eyes at the Sin of Sloth, an amused smile on his face. "It's fine King. At least he thought she was your sister and not your daughter."

"Uh," Escanor quirked a brow, making quick work of drawing blood from Merlin's arm. "Who would think that? King looks like he's sixteen… No offense of course."

"Offense taken," King grumbled as he downed the contents of his mug. "Take a wild guess Escanor. Who do we know that's a complete moron?"

"Ban?"

"Bingo!" He waved his empty mug in the air. "Who else but his drunk ass?"

"Hey!" The white haired man yelled.

The two men ignored him. "If I had to place a bet on her being someone's daughter, it would be Ban," Escanor commented thoughtfully. "Hair color is at least the same."

"Her features are more accurately in common with Diane," Gowther joined the disturbing topic. "They have the same round face and nose construction. Eighty percent likeness."

"Hear that Elizabeth!" The burnette threw an arm around me - somehow finding her way to me before I had realized it. "We're sisters!"

"Why am I the only one who's a father? I'm not that old!" Ban growled and slammed his mug on the table. "Fuck you guys!"

 _Definitely drunk,_ I thought as King, Ban and Diane got into another argument. _All three of them._

"As lively as ever I see," Escanor chuckled. He's already pulling out something else from his bag. I didn't recognize the equipment, but assumed it must be how he's going to test the blood. He set it up on the bar, far away from the bickering trio.

"Been awhile, Escanor," Meliodas grinned at the fellow blonde. His whole attitude seemed to have shifted back to the jovial man I've gotten to know the past week. It's almost like everything that happened up till now was forgotten. Or maybe he's just that happy at having his team together again.

"I'd say that's a good thing," Escanor told him with a kind smile. "Considering the only time we see each other is when someone is hurt."

"True," Meliodas admitted with a chuckle, "but that doesn't mean you can't stop by more." The two paused in a contemplative silence. "Work tomorrow? Why don't you stay and have a beer with us while you wait for those results?"

"Well…"

"Come now, Escanor," Merlin placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's been too long since we last had everyone together. You can stay for a few hours. At least until the your test is finished." She fluttered her eyelashes at him.

Another first from Merlin that I hadn't seen before. Never once had I seen her pay mind to any man who tried hitting on her. And now here she was, fluttering her lashes just to get the man to stay for a drink or two.

"O-kay," Escanor agreed quickly, red splashing across all his visible features. That couldn't be healthy.

I found myself curious about what Escanor's role for the team was.

Meliodas was obviously the leader. Ban was his right hand man and carried out numerous tasks along with King. Diane helped to manage the bar and went out when needed. Gowther was a genius who could apparently hack into and access anything the Sins may need. While Merlin… she's the reason they never got caught. How she ended up with them was beyond me. But now wasn't the time for that question.

Instead I asked a different one. To someone who seemed less able to dodge my questions. "It's nice to meet you, Escanor," I held out my hand and offered the sincerest smile I could given all the shit I'd been through tonight. "I was thinking I wouldn't meet the rest of the Sins and yet I get to meet you three in the last twenty four hours." My eyes send an accusing glare at Merlin.

The woman just smirked.

"Ah, nice to meet you too, Elizabeth," He smiled kindly, taking my hand firmly - a business man's handshake. That, combined with his pressed buttoned-up shirt and dress slacks said something. Meliodas had mentioned work... "I actually didn't think I'd be meeting you at all. Unless you were injured."

I quirked a brow. So Meliodas had been playing his cards close to the chest.

"N-not that I think you'd be getting i-injured," he stuttered as he tried to explain himself, mistaking my expression for distaste. "I j-just don't come here unless it's for that reason, as you can see." He held up his bag and I finally realized what it was.

A medical bag.

"You're a doctor?" My jaw unhinged slightly.

* * *

Dom: *Places piece on the board* Knight to Queen four. Check. *smiles triumphantly*

Luv: *stares at the board, then Dom, then the board again* Okay… I know we don't live in the same area… like not even close but… aren't we playing monopoly? Where'd you even get that from? It's a checkers piece, not a knight...

Dom: *examines board intently, before placing another piece on the board over park place* I increase my army in madagascar!

Luv: ….. *blinks, extremely confused* … uh… you sunk my battleship?

Dom: Ha! Eat this! *places random playing card on table* Wild DRAW FOUR!

Luv: *gives up completely and just starts shouting random phrases.* GO FISH!

Dom: Damn! Your hungry hippo ate all the marbles!

Luv: Darn straight! And I'm gunna make it to the Candy Castle before you too! *starts cackling like a mad woman.*

Dom: RIGHT HAND RED! *dog piles luv with a goofy grin on her face, having successfully distracted Luv from winning Monopoly*… Next time on Don't Trust Me: Being an outsider has been tough, and the punches just keep coming for poor Elizabeth. Can she keep her composure long enough to get some answers, or will she walk away empty handed? Desperate times call for desperate measures, so when Elizabeth requests a favor from Meliodas, she finds support from an unlikely new friend. Who let's their kid walk into a bar in the middle of the day?

Luv: Simon says, get off! *struggles to escape Dom's clutches.*

Dom: *snuggles Luv* Tag you're it! *Jumps up and runs away* See you all next chapter!

Luv: *sighs heavily and dusts herself off as she sits up* Why must game night always be so exhausting?


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

 _No way,_ I couldn't help but think. I had figured he was just a scientist or something like Merlin. _How can a team of seven criminals be this well rounded?_

Not only did they have someone within the precinct, along with a hacker, they also had a freaking _doctor_ on the team? Just how the _hell_ did this group come together? Despite everyone having specific jobs and probably reasons for being here, I just couldn't believe how well off they were. It was no wonder we had nothing on them. There was absolutely no way for us to find them with Merlin covering their tracks at crime scenes and Escanor making house visits for injuries.

"I am," Escanor answered my question with a tilt of his head. "I uh, thought that was apparent…?" He turned to Meliodas. "What kind of people are you introducing her to that a stranger showing up in the middle of the night and drawing _blood_ is not a doctor thing?"

Merlin chuckled, "I'm sure _Princess,_ " she purred my code name, clearly finding amusement in the title, "is just in a bit of shock."

She was right, of course. How could I not be, given this new development - along with everything else that had happened so far. It's hard to believe how much had happened in such a short amount of time, when only earlier this week I was hounding Meliodas for _kidnapping_ me and not giving me immediate answers. While I had received some, it wasn't on what I wanted and also left me with more questions than actual answers.

"Ah," Escanor nodded understandably. "It is a lot to take in. I don't blame you for being a bit… surprised. I was too." He offered me a kind smile and a half hearted shrug. "You get use to it… kind of."

"Says the guy who doesn't even visit us!" Diane yelled and popped out her lip. "I swear you don't even like us most of the time and just come for Merlin!"

Escanor flushed. "T-that's not true!" He attempted to argue.

"It's totally true~," Ban chortled and threw an arm around the red faced man. "If it weren't for Mer, you may not even be here."

"That's not fair guys," King slurred.

"Thank you, King," the doctor sighed in relief.

Too soon it seemed as King continued his explanation. "Sure, he totally came here for Merlin-"

"Not you too!"

"-but he's one of us now and unlike most of us, he has a life outside of this," the ginger haired man finished, resting his head against the table. "A normal life. Can't expect him to give it all up for this kind of existence…"

My eyes widened at yet, another new piece of information. A heavy sigh from Meliodas didn't give me much time to process it. "Told you he was a blabbermouth," the leader of the Sins shook his head at the now sleeping man.

"Hear that King~?" Ban poked his cheek. "You suck!" He laughed loudly, slapping his own knee and falling out of his chair.

"Shuddup," King grumbled in response, "I'm seeping…" he slurred.

"Perhaps King should lessen his alcohol intake," Gowther suggested from the bar. A glass of, what must be, apple juice sat in front of him.

"I'm fiiinnne," the Sin of Sloth lifted his head to try and find the genius. His eyes had trouble focusing. I hadn't realized he drank that much in the short amount of time they'd been back.

Diane giggled and wrapped her arms around his waist while rubbing her face against his neck. "You are, but let's go to bed okay? I'm sleepy too."

"M'kay…"

"Ban, carry him for me? I'm gonna grap us some waters."

"But I don't wa-" One glare from Diane had the white haired man sighing heavily. "Fine~." King must have fallen asleep again as Ban picked him up with no sign of protest. "Be back in a few," he said, seemingly more sober as he carried the smaller man away.

Diane's behind them a second later. "Night everyone!" She called with a smile. "Nice to see you again, Escanor!"

"Ah, you too, Diane," he responded a half second too late, the trio already gone upstairs. Escanor turned to Meliodas. "Does King normally drink so much?"

"No," Meliodas frowned slightly as he thought it over. "Usually it's him taking care of Ban, actually. Probably just feels guilty about the fire."

"Fire?" Merlin sat down at the bar, a drink for herself and Escanor in hand. "What fire?"

"They were looking into one of our locations and needed a distraction for a getaway. King set up a small oil fire, providing a lid for them to put it out with."

"They didn't use it?" Merlin quirked a slender brow, a small frown playing at her lips.

"They didn't use it," Meliodas confirmed with a nod of his head. "Idiots dumped water on it and it escalated from there."

"Of course it did," Merlin chuckled. The woman had a weird sense of humor. "If not for me, the four of you would have been caught many times over," she clicked her tongue. I couldn't tell if she was pleased about having to clean up after them, or not.

"We do have quite the run of bad luck, don't we?" Meliodas hummed in agreement.

"Why would they not use the lid provided," Gowther chimed in unexpectedly. "He gave them the proper tools to put it out themselves. Water is an ill advised choice for that kind of fire."

"Sadly, not everyone thinks like we do, Gowther, dear," Merlin explained for him. "What we think is obvious, others struggle to grasp."

"You guys do have the worse luck," Escanor shook his head before taking a drink of the mug Merlin provided for him.

"Tell me about it," Ban chuckled morbidly as he rejoined us. "Put sleeping beauty to bed. He'll have one hell of a hangover, that's for sure."

"You two can nurse them together then," Merlin smirked at the white haired man.

Ban snorted. "I'm perfectly cable of suffering alone, thanks."

"I could prepare you one of my homemade remedies?" The forensic scientist suggested slyly.

Ban visibly shivered. "Nope. Not trying any of those ever again. Not after the last shit you made me." He gagged, skin actually taking on a green hue as he recalled the memory.

"I'm guessing we aren't going over what the three of you found anymore?" I frowned, interrupting the conversation and directing my question at Ban.

"With just me?" The white haired man chuckled. "No way in hell, lil lady. I know my strengths and explaining that information shit in King's bag is not one of them."

"Great, so another night of nothing," I grumbled before taking a drink. I was sulking, not even trying to hide it.

"Well, I wouldn't say that," Meliodas shot me a grin. It lacked the normal cocky tone, reminding me more of the soft smile I'd received in the kitchen. More genuine. I looked away from him, finishing the contents of my mug. "You _did_ get to meet the remaining two Sins, so that's something. Not many people can say that."

I scoffed as I placed the mug on the counter. "One. I already knew Merlin."

"Of course," Escanor nodded sagely. "It would be expected given your profession and Merlin's that you'd run into each other at least once." His blue eyes darted between the two of us as I glared at the ravenette woman. "Are you… upset with her?"

"Yes," I responded without much thought. _Upset is putting it mildly_. And it wasn't just Merlin I was mad at. Once again, my eyes found Meliodas. He's calm, waiting to see what else I had to say. I let out a deep breath and turned back to Escanor. "It isn't completely her fault. I am curious as to _how_ , you managed to get caught up with the Sins, though, Merlin."

Her eyes flashed with something darker - a brief moment of insecurity? Was I just imagining that? "Not a story for tonight, I'm afraid." One of her smug smirks danced across her lips, her normal attitude returning. At seeing my scowl she added, "it's a bit long and I'm only staying until the results return."

We stared at each other, locked in a silent battle of wills.

One I was much too exhausted to partake in right now.

I sighed heavily, "Fine. Another time then."

"Perhaps," she responded noncommittally.

My teeth gnawed on my tongue to keep from retorting harshly. Suddenly, following King and Diane's example and going to bed didn't sound so bad. It was that or say something that I would regret, possibly pushing me further from the Sins and shooting myself in the foot as far as this investigation was concerned. I couldn't risk it. I pushed away from the bar.

"I'm heading to bed." I offered up as explanation to the confused stares. Only Meliodas didn't seem surprised. His was more curious than anything if I had to put an emotion to his blank expression. I ignored him in favor of bidding the others goodnight. "It was nice to meet you, Escanor."

"Oh, y-you too, Elizabeth, er, uh, I mean Princess," he stumbled over his words at my unexpected turn of conversation.

I smiled at him, then turning to the only other female awake, "Merlin." I said simply, finding it difficult to feign politeness.

She didn't seem to mind as she returned my smile with her signature smirk, "goodnight, _Princess_ ," she purred once again. "We shall see each other again before all this is over."

"I'm sure," I responded clippidly. "Goodnight," was all I say to the other three. Gowther wouldn't care about my lack of acknowledging him personally, nor would Ban. Meliodas on the other hand… I caught a small frown as I turned to leave. He appeared almost... _hurt_ , at my lack of attention towards him.

And there was a part of me that felt guilty for that. His words in the kitchen drum up a whirl of emotions. But my anger toward him and the others kept those emotions in check.

One foot was on the stairs when I heard Ban's teasing voice carry over. "Shit, what did you do?~"

"Not really sure," I heard Meliodas reply. He quickly changed the topic, "so Merlin, anything interesting happening on your end?"

I should stay and listen. I _know_ that I should.

But at hearing his question to Merlin, my blood boils even hotter - reminding me of my humiliation at finding her as a member of the Sins. The sense of betrayal was still too fresh. I'd looked up to that woman for too long to stay and listen to her all but stomp over what I believed in. My precinct. I stormed up the steps, not even caring if they heard me, just wanting to get away from everything.

I yanked open the door to the bedroom I'd been given and slammed it shut behind me. Overwhelmed tears began to fall down my face. Meliodas, the Sins, Merlin… it was all too much. A shaky breath escaped me and I do my best to calm my erratic breathing. I locked the door behind me, paranoid that someone - that Meliodas, would come check on me. I couldn't take the confusing feelings that he kept conjuring within me. Once was more than enough.

My body bounced in the air as I collapsed upon my bed. A frustrated scream threatened to bubble to the surface. I squashed it down, wrapping my arms around my pillow as I pulled it over my head.

My fingers scraped against something.

I frowned, reaching inside the pillowcase to pull out something I'd almost forgotten about; the picture of Meliodas and Liz. I bolted up in bed and stared at the picture with wide eyes. My mind ran with possible ideas of what this picture could mean. It was a welcomed distraction. But how could I find out more information?

Howzer came to mind.

The idea was quickly scratched. _If Merlin's working with the Sins, who knows how far into the precinct their reach is. She'd know if Howzer ran any searches._

I studied the picture again. The pink haired woman was beautiful. Meliodas… he looked so happy. They both did. I flipped it over.

"Mel and Liz, 57th Brigade," I read quietly.

Then it hit me.

"Of course," I whispered, excitement taking over all my other ragged emotions and I eagerly embraced it.

They're part of the military. Asking Howzer to look into this wouldn't have made any sense. But I knew someone who could. My sister's fiance, Gilthunder, was a marine. If I could somehow get this picture to Margaret and have her get it to him, I could find out more about Meliodas. I was hopeful for the first time since entering this bar.

I tried to convince myself that I _needed_ to know of Meliodas' past to understand his motives. And while that was true, part of me had to wonder;

 _Is this really just for the case?_

* * *

I didn't sleep at all.

It's early when I decide to sit back up in bed. I didn't even need to look at a clock to know that. I should have tried to sleep, I knew I should.

Yet my brain wouldn't let me - mind abuzz with how I was going to convince Meliodas to let me see my sister. To let me get the picture to Gilthunder.

It's seven a.m. when I finally decide to shower and get dressed. Not knowing what else to do with myself, I wandered downstairs, too alert for having no sleep under my belt. But I couldn't help the anticipation I was feeling. I needed to convince him. No matter what, I needed to start getting some more answers.

By some miracle, when I peered out into the bar area, Meliodas was awake. Not a one of the other Sins appeared to be wandering around except him. He was sitting at the counter, reading the paper and having a cup of coffee. I thanked my lucky stars. Finally, it felt like things were going to go my way.

If there was ever a time to make my move, it was now.

But, there was a part of me that hesitated too - making me pivot from foot to foot anxiously. I'd been so harsh to him. I'd made it all too clear I was not his biggest fan last night - words and actions I was seriously regretting now. Would he listen to me, even if I begged? I'd have to swallow my pride and apologize. I didn't like it, but I would do anything to make this work.

I gulped, imagining the part of me that hated what I was about to do was now locked deep down, and stepped out into the bar.

"Hey, Meliodas-" I had just gotten his attention when the bar's door flung open - much like it had the night before. We both swung around to find a boy standing in the doorway, his eyes scanning the quiet bar then narrowing once they found Meliodas.

"Here we go…" The blonde groaned under his breath, I had just barely heard him as I focused on the boy storming in. He's a short kid - dusty, pink hair, cute unassuming features despite the glare he shot the bar owner, big dark eyes, small. Too small to be rampaging into a closed bar with that much fury. Especially when cradling a stuffed animal under his arm. That thing looked half his size!

I looked between Meliodas and the kid and intercepted, kneeling down to his level before he could get any closer, "Can we help you?" I asked sweetly, if not terribly confused.

The boy eyed me speculatively, "Who are you?"

I opened my mouth, "I'm uh-" I glanced back to Meliodas, who was watching with his mug hiding what I knew was a grin on his face, "I'm… Princess." I smiled back at the boy to hide my disdain.

His big, dark eyes studied me longer and narrowed before they turned on the blonde, "What have I told you about giving people weird nicknames?" He chided the bar owner, and I'm shocked as he turned back to me with brow raised, "What's your _real_ name?"

"E-Elizabeth," I stuttered out. This kid had the commanding tone of an adult.

At hearing my real name, he nodded, then smiled, "Nice to meet you, Elizabeth."

"What are you doing here, Hawk? I thought you and your mom were on vacation." Meliodas placed the coffee mug on the counter, leaning back against it easily.

Hawk? His name was Hawk? I thought there were only seven sins… so who was this child?

Hawk adjusted the large stuffed animal under his arm - a rather large and cute pig, and then glared at Meliodas once more, "We just got back! And the first thing I see waiting for us when we come home is a note saying you're letting someone else live here. This is a bar, not a hotel Meliodas! I'm increasing your rent!"

 _Wait… what?_

"I'm sorry, but... I'm lost." I looked between them again, "I thought the bar was Meliodas' place?"

Hawk sighed - the kind of sound someone his age shouldn't have to make. It spoke of experience there was no way he could have. But he did, all the while keeping his unrelenting gaze on the man in question, "Technically speaking, yes. But it's not in his name, and the land belongs to my momma." Finally, Hawk turned kinder eyes on me, "We pay for the expenses under my mom's name, and Meliodas pays us back."

I couldn't help the grin that started to creep on my own lips. "Oh, is that so?" I asked Hawk while turning a victorious smile on Meliodas. He didn't share in my victory, though. He's scowling, shaking his head with a roll of his eyes.

"It's a miracle we haven't been caught yet with all these blabbermouths around."

The ease with which he said it surprised me. He was so open in front of Hawk - which meant he was involved too, right? A kid this sharp would be hard to hide anything from. I assumed he's well aware of why Meliodas' name wasn't on any of the property. That's not exactly something you agree to without knowing _why_.

As if answering my unspoken question, Hawk rounded the bar, completely disappearing behind it due to his small stature, "Has Gowther been through recently? Momma wanted to know if she needed to make a new batch of juice for him."

Neither of us answered him. We were just staring at each other now. More answers that just gave me more questions. How many more secrets did this guy have? That thought has me glancing away from him as I remembered my goal for today. The picture tucked in my jacket feels like it's burning a hole right through me.

Even if Hawk was one of them too, I needed to do this. It had to be now. Maybe the sudden appearance of his land-lord's son would throw him off...

"I need to see my sister." I said, changing the subject abruptly.

Meliodas furrowed his brows at me. "Huh?"

"I didn't think I would be dark this long," I explained, the gears in my head turning to make the lies and the truth meld into one. "I see my sister every other Sunday. She'll know something's wrong if I don't show up at ten for tea."

"Tea?" The blonde couldn't help the sly smirk that formed on his lips. "You meet your sister… for tea?"

"Yes, it's a nice way to catch up." I defended. Meeting my sister for tea was actually the truth. It was usually only once a month though, not every other week. But I needed an excuse to see her. The sooner the better.

Hawk came into view carrying one of the cartons of juice from the fridge, "Hey, don't knock it, Meliodas! Besides, today is a great day for tea!"

The blonde hummed as he watched me, "And… which sister is this?" he asked a little suspiciously.

I swallowed, keeping my gaze fixed to his. "Not the one you've met." Surely he already knew Veronica was my sister. It's in my file on the database. Hell, he probably knew about my entire family tree at this point. But as long as I steered clear of the precinct, it would be fine, right? I'm keeping my word. I wouldn't be telling anyone anything about him and his friends. The woman in the picture, however, was fair game. And my gut told me she was important to everything going on here.

"Why are you asking this guy's permission? It's not like he's your boyfriend, right?" Hawk asked, curiously tilting his head at me.

My face paled the moment Meliodas' eyes seemed to light up. _No… I completely forgot about that..._

Meliodas had a grin that I could only categorize as pure evil as he slipped from his chair and wrapped an arm around my waist, "Actually, I am. And as your boyfriend, I think it's time to meet the family! Let's do it." He beamed at me from my side, and I had to bite my tongue hard enough to draw blood to keep from cringing.

"Great,"I mused sarcastically.

I won… I was going to see my sister. With the very man I was trying to get away from. This was just fan-fucking-tastic.

* * *

Dom: *Opens the paper while she sips a cup of tea*

Luv: *bursts in from outside screaming at the top of her lungs* It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Everywhere you go!~ *shakes the snow off her hat and jacket*

Dom: *Slowly puts her paper down, glaring at Luv* What… did you... just say?

Luv: *clears her throat and begins to sing* It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! *starts dancing around the room while heading towards the closet* Toys in every store but the prettiest sight to see, is the holly that will be on your own front door! *rips Christmas decorations out of the closet and starts setting them up*

Dom: *Slowly stands from her chair, folding her paper neatly, taking the time to position her teacup perfectly on it's decorative plate. She walks to the middle of the room where she waits for Luv to run by with the decorations, then grabs her by the collar, stopping her in her tracks.* Luv, dear?

Luv: Yeeesss? *stares up at Dom with a bright smile*

Dom: What month does that say? *points to the calendar on the wall*

Luv: *stares at the calendar* Hmmm…. Christmas Eve month! Ya know, the month before Christmas! Like Pre-Christmas!

Dom: *sighs heavily* No. It says November. NOT Christmas Eve Month. Which means that UNTIL that calendar READS DECEMBER… No christmas music!

Luv: But, but! *bottom lip begins to quiver* I have so much luv to give! And if I don't start now I'll never get all the giving done in time!

Dom: But, isn't that what THANKSGIVING is all about? *Unphased by the Luv-lip-quiver*

Luv: No *she argues stubbornly while now openly pouting* Thanksgiving is being thankful! I'm sharing luv so that's CHRISTMAS!

Dom: *Facepalms* Tell you what. I'm thankful for YOU giving the preview. So let's focus on that.

Luv: *drops all the Christmas decorations* Oh yeah! I almost forgot about that! Next time on Don't Trust Me: Elizabeth has never been so distraught to have her way, as she's forced to introduce her new _boyfriend_ to her older sister. What on earth could possibly go wrong when you put a criminal and an lawyer in the same room? Will Elizabeth be able to get away with her plan?

Dom: *hesitates, but lets Luv go, despite knowing exactly what was to come next*

Luv: I really can't stay *starts in a normal voice before switching lower* but baby, it's cold outside!~ *back to normal voice* I've got to go away! *switches to lower voice* but baby, it's cold outside!~

Dom: *Contemplates things we can't describe in detail in fear of scaring the audience* See you all next chapter...

Luv: *belts out at the top of her lungs* BABY IT'S COLD OUTSIDE!


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

I had never been so nervous sitting in my sister's living room as I was now.

"So, who is this?" Margaret asked, voice as sweet and kind as ever, if not a bit curious. I couldn't blame her. Men were never much of a priority for me. The only member of the opposite sex I even acknowledged being Howser. And my family had known him just as long as I had. For me to bring a guy around… it was unheard of.

But here I was, sitting opposite of my sister with Meliodas sitting far too close to me.

"Um," I nibbled my bottom lip. Margaret would be angry with me when this was all over, but there was no getting around it. I would have to say it eventually, may as well just get it over with. "This is Mel…" I decided on a name change, catching Meliodas slightly off guard if his raised brow was anything to go by, "my… boyfriend."

As expected of my eldest sister, Margaret's eyes lit up like stars in the night sky. "Really? A boyfriend?"

Smugness rolled off the man to my right in waves. But he stood and offered my sister his hand as he said, "yes, I'm Mel, it's nice to meet you, officially." His smile was kind and sincere and… completely throwing me for a loop. He had a totally different air about him. The kind I'd expect from a man in the military.

"Oh, how rude of me," the lavender haired woman rushed to stand. She took Meliodas' hand and shook. "It's nice to meet you as well, Mel. I'm Margaret."

They returned to their seats, a smile tugging at the blonde's lips. "Your father must like those older names, huh?"

I gritted my teeth. If he thought he was going to mess with my sister, he had another thing coming.

"Oh? You've met father and Veronica already?" Margaret questioned innocently - a hint of hurt at the edges of her tone. Completely unaware of the identity of the man she was speaking to.

He chuckled, shooting a sidelong, playful glance my way before answering her. "Well, not officially. More like, seen them at a distance I suppose."

The bastard was messing with _me_ , not my sister, I quickly realized. I shouldn't have let him come. He was going to give both of us up and Margaret would kill us. She seemed sweet, but she could be just as fierce as Veronica. She had to be for her job.

"Well," Margaret smiled as she went through the steps of preparing the tea. "Maybe next time we can all get together then."

"No!" I shouted causing Margaret to drop the spoon on the tray with a clatter, tea spraying the surface. She stared at me with round honey eyes. I didn't need to look at Meliodas to know his expression would be one of barely masked mirth. "I-I mean I'm not ready f-for that yet. You know how Father and Veronica can be."

She laughed lightly. "There's no need to be embarrassed, Elizabeth."

"I'm not!" I insisted even with heat rising to my cheeks. _Why did Meliodas have to come with,_ I whined as I chance a glance at him. A wide grin was, of course, on his face.

"It's alright. I think she's adorable when she's all flustered like this," he continued to grin at me as he took my hand in his. The same hand that he had mended the night before and I'm suddenly all too aware of his fingers interlacing with mine; those memories bringing my heart beat to a quickened pitter-patter.

"Can't really blame her, though, can we? I mean, I am her first lover…"

I was sure my face was on fire now - every fiber of my being urged me to get up and walk out the door in utter embarrassment. I'd been subjected to and survived everything this man had thrown at me, but this… this was a whole new level of torture. Punishment, perhaps? For my coldness toward him the night before?

I couldn't look at him anymore. My wide eyes turned to my sister who was watching us with her own flush. "Oh…" she muttered, bringing a hand up to cover her mouth in her shock, "oh my…"

Mortified, why did this seem to be a common feeling I had wherever Meliodas was involved? I sunk into the couch, wanting to disappear from this level of hell. How did I ever think this was a good idea? I should have tried harder to come on my own.

A squeeze on my hand reminded me that he's still holding it.

Reluctantly, I glanced his way. He gave me a quick wink before turning to address my sister. "Sorry, about that," he laughed pleasantly. "Elizabeth is just way too easy to embarrass sometimes. I couldn't resist!"

"Oh?" Margaret was barely regaining her ability to talk, but at least the color on her face was returning to normal.

"Yep! Seeing the normally confident Elizabeth get all flustered at just a few intimate words is really endearing," he smiled at me. His expression was… difficult to read. Just how much of what he's saying, if any of it, was true?

"Ah," Margaret cooed. "That's really sweet."

I tore my gaze away from Meliodas to look at my sister. _Did she just completely forget what he said?!_ I did my best not to shout, "it's really not sweet. Not at all."

"Don't be like that," Meliodas' grin widened as he bumped his shoulder against mine. "I'll make it up to you later, promise."

"Uh, huh," I raised a brow at him. "I'd like to see you try."

Because there was absolutely no way I could forgive him for pulling this shit in front of my sister.

The infuriating blonde only chuckled. "Challenge accepted."

"You two are just darling," Margaret's giggle interrupted our, _my_ , death stare. My eldest sister had a small smile on her face as she studied the two of us. I didn't want to know just how much of a couple we must look like in her eyes.

Neither of us got a chance to say anything before we heard a low hum.

Meliodas reached for his phone, glancing at it then back up at us, "Sorry… But I really should take this." He said with an apologetic grin. "I'll be right back."

I got a quick glance at the screen as he finally let go of my hand and stood. It was a number I didn't recognize - the caller ID reading _Restricted_.

This was my chance!

I watched as he went for the front door, closing it behind him. Despite the urge to follow and listen in on his conversation, I knew I only had a moment to do what I came here to do.

I sighed with relief, quickly pulling the envelope I had stuffed the picture into from my jeans pocket. "Margaret," I whispered with a sense of urgency. "I need you to take this and have Gilthunder look into it for me. As much info as he can."

She furrowed her brow and stared at the envelope in my hand. "What is this Elizabeth?"

I shook my head, "It's nothing. But it is important that Gilthunder sends me everything he finds according to the instructions I left inside."

She eyed me suspiciously then. All of those years in the prosecution box had taught her to tell when someone was lying… if only those skills had been around earlier, but I couldn't think on that now. She's watching me too closely, "Gilthunder is deployed currently."

"Overseas?"

She shook her head, "No, just cross country."

Good. "I need you to send this to him. I'll give you the money to mail it first class. I just need this."

"Why do I get the feeling this is more important than you're letting on?"

I glanced over my shoulder at the door, "It's not," I insisted. "just do this favor for me, will you, please?"

She looked between me and the envelop again, then sighed, taking it from my hand and tucking it into her blouse. "alright… but, I expect you to explain when you are able to."

I merely nodded as Meliodas walked back in through the door and into the room. "Sorry about that," he said with an apologetic smile settling back on the couch with me. "Just a business call."

Thankfully, Margaret made no mention of our private exchange. "What is it you do for a living Mel?"

I stiffened as the realization that I came in here with zero backstory for my supposed boyfriend hit me. _Shit,_ I curse, eyes darting over to Meliodas.

The blonde appeared a lot more cool and collected than I was feeling. A proud smile worked across his face. "I manage a bar."

My jaw slacked. His answer wasn't technically a lie. But it wasn't really the truth either. Not that I wanted him to say anything about his life of crime to my sister, an assistant district attorney.

"Really?" Her brows shot up, obviously not expecting that. "What's it called?"

"Ah," he waved her question off with a perfect air of nonchalance. "You wouldn't know it. It's a little too close to the wrong side of town, but we manage alright."

"Perhaps, I'll get a chance to visit it someday," Margaret suggested, not at all bothered by his vagueness.

But why would she be? She didn't know who he was or what kind of business the both of us were mixed up in. All she saw was her little sister's boyfriend. The only thing that probably would give her pause would be that picture tucked in an envelope inside her blouse.

"Maybe," he shrugged noncommittally.

"Well," I stood up, "It's about time we get going." I ignored their confused stares. "Thank you for the tea."

"Of course." Margaret was eyeing me suspiciously again, "But do you have to leave so soon? I was hoping to hear about how the two of you first met!"

No. God, no.

Meliodas chuckled, "Oh yeah, that is quite the story."

"Another time maybe?" I asked rather impatiently, but Meliodas and Margaret seem to ignore me as they literally leaned into the conversation.

"It was at a club, actually." He started, shooting me a daring look and that damnable grin. "I saw her on the other side of the bar, and I just... knew. She was there with a couple of friends, but I had to get her attention. So I stole her drink. She chased me out onto the dancefloor, and we danced the rest of the night."

That daring look meant more now than it did before. The story he was telling Margaret sounded sweet and romantic, but to me… to me, I heard him reminding me that he was a crime boss. A man with eyes and ears everywhere. He knew I was at that club. He knew my team was there. He knew our objectives and knew we couldn't touch him.

Perhaps… he was even telling me he knew why I was here today.

Did he know?

Margaret's contented sigh pulled me out of my stare off with him, and I'm feeling a different kind of flush now - the kind one feels when they're caught in a lie, "That _is_ quite the story. You have a real flair for it, Mel." She complimented while they both stand. "I would love to hear more, so I'm sorry to see you both leave so soon, but I suppose the life of a detective is a busy one!" She beamed proudly at me.

It's pride that I couldn't accept and it just twisted my insides.

"That it is," Meliodas agreed with her, and I feel a nervousness wash over me. How much trouble did I just get myself into?

Margaret walked us to the door, kissing my cheek as we leave. For a split second, I savored that feeling, because there was a part of me that wondered if I would ever get a chance to feel it again. She waved happily from her doorway as we climbed into the same sports vehicle Meliodas had driven us in the night before.

The car was silent as we both watched Margaret close the door, cutting me off from my lifeline.

The silence was deafening. I could hear ringing in my ears. My imagination was running wild with the things to come.

There's a soft hum from the man in the driver's seat as he clicked his seat belt into place. "I guess tea isn't so bad." He jested as he turned the key, bringing the ignition to life.

I bit my lip. I knew what came next.

Instead of reaching around me to tie a blindfold over my eyes, he put the car into drive and started to pull away. Which had all of my red flags flying, and sending me sputtering, "Wait, you're not going to blindfold me?"

Was he planning on just getting rid of me now?! Why would he change his M.O. so suddenly?

My heart was pounding. For the first time since meeting him, I'm afraid.

He looked back at me curiously as we came to a stop light down the street, "If you would prefer the blindfold, I can give it to you." His grin widened, and I'm both terribly confused and still scared.

I'm not sure what he saw in my face that made him soften his own expression, but now he was giving me a look close to tenderness - if not a bit of guilt. "You introduced me to your family, Elizabeth. That kind of trust should be met with a little of my own, don't you think?"

… _What?_

Was I reading him wrong? Meliodas was going to let me see where the bar was? So did that mean he _didn't_ know about the picture?

The fear was gone. But in its place, I found my own guilt. Guilt that I had to swallow. I did what I had to do to solve a case. I wasn't here to make friends. My goal wasn't making Meliodas trust me.

My goal was to dismantle the gang responsible for XGEN.

And then, my next objective was taking out the Seven Deadly Sins.

* * *

Dom: *Grabs box from under the tree and passes it to Luv* Merry Christmas LUV!

Luv: *eagerly bounces in place* What is it, what is it?! *begins tearing off the wrapping paper*

Dom: *Smiles happily, full of Christmas spirit as she watches the carnage of flying wrapping paper flung in the air*

Luv: *blinks at the contents of the box* … is it… is this what I think it is…? *pulls out a shirt and screeches at the top of her longs* IT'S PURPLE! *grins so brightly her face looks like it will split in two* I love it, thank you! *scrambles towards the tree and pulls out another gift and hands it to Dom*

Dom: Oh Luv! You shouldn't have! *Just as fiercely tears open the meticulously wrapped box and opening it, before giving Luv a knowing grin* How did you know? *Pulls out a still-warm cup from Starbucks* Salted Caramel Mocha! My favorite *starts drinking the coffee*

Luv: Weelllllll *looks around the room sheepishly* I figured since it's… kinda my fault that I should… feed the addiction? *scrunches her features together* Wait… I may have that backwards… I think I'm suppose to stop the obsession, not feed it. *taps her chin as she thinks before shrugging it off* Eh, oh well.

Dom: *Eye twitches* What do you mean addiction? *Drinks the rest of her coffee and gives a contented sigh* Anyways! *Grabs last present from under the tree* This one is to all the readers! *Opens up the box to pull a scripted note out* Next Time on Don't Trust Me: Elizabeth has finally gained some trust with Meliodas, but will she find that she regrets the lengths she's gone to embed herself with the sins? Just what information did they gather from the party? Nothing is as it seems and she quickly realizes this rabbit hole goes a lot deeper than she'd ever imagined.

Luv: *looks at Dom curiously* ...Is it weird we wrapped a present for our readers?

Dom: SSSHHHHHHHHHhhhhhh… *places finger over Luv's lips and whispers* Just let it happen...

Luv: *removes Dom's fingers with a confused furrow to her brow* Your fingers smell like coffee… how many Salted Caramel Mochas have you had today? And WHY do your fingers smell like it? *shakes her head* You know what, nevermind. I don't think I want to know.

Dom: Nope, probably not! *Smiles happily, throwing her empty coffee cup into her secret corner where there are fifty other empty starbucks cups*

Luv: *sighs heavily* See you next chapter! Have a Happy New Years everyone!


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

When we returned to the bar, there were a few regulars scattered across the area with Ban, Diane and King working. Was it bad I've only been here a week and I already know these people were regulars? I didn't catch any sign that the other three Sins were here, they must have left late last night. I wondered how the test results came back.

"Hey!" Diane greeted us as soon as we walked in, shaking me out of my thoughts. "Where were you guys?"

"Meeting my sister for tea," I answered truthfully. Somewhere along the drive, I had forgotten my uneasiness.

Ban laughed heartily from behind the bar. "You gotta be shitting me! The boss went for tea? With you and your sister? Who even fuckin' gets together for tea nowadays?"

"Hawk apparently," Meliodas replied smoothly. "He stopped by this morning," he slipped casually into the conversation. The rest of the drive had been quiet between us, but he wasn't giving me any indication that he knew about my motives.

"Master chew your ass again?"

"Again?" I quizzed as I joined Meliodas at the bar. Ban placed two drinks out in front of us. "And Master?" Why the hell was Ban calling Hawk 'master'? Then again, I'm not entirely sure I wanted the answer.

"Yeah, said we aren't running a hotel, blah, blah, the usual." The blonde shook his head at the memory. "Guess him and his mom got back this morning."

"You probably should start asking them before we let people stay here," King commented dryly.

He sat on Meliodas' other side, his features pulled together in thought. Honestly, he looked like shit. Ban hadn't been kidding when he said the guy would have one hell of a hangover. Apparently none of them were too concerned with the patrons at the moment as Diane too joined us, standing behind King.

Meliodas rolled his eyes. "It's pretty much my place in every way but name."

For a moment, I caught myself wondering why that was the case. What could make a man like Meliodas become a criminal? Why have a bar if you couldn't even really call it your own? But I pushed that all from my head. The why didn't matter. Meliodas' backstory didn't matter.

"I know. I'm in the bookwork just as much as you are."

"And where else were we gunna keep Princess if not here?" Meliodas challenged.

A small frown formed on King's features. "I'm not saying it wasn't the best choice, because I agree with you, it was. Just that we _did_ have other places she could have stayed."

"You and your safe houses," Ban groaned before taking a large drawn out drink. "Those things are more trouble than they're worth I tell ya."

The Sin of Sloth shot a scowl at the white haired man. "You say that now, but if things ever go south, you'll thank me."

"Doubtful."

"It's not so bad," Diane came to her boyfriend's defense. "We'd be stupid not to have them."

"You only say that cause _you_ never have to check up on them," Ban argued with a scowl.

I pondered over the possibility of their supposed safehouses. Diane was right of course. Given how much the Sins were involved in the inner workings of this town, not having a place to go when shit hit the fan would be suicide. _Maybe that's where Ban and King disappear to all the time._

A small smirk danced across Diane's lips. "And you're an idiot if _you_ believe that King and I haven't visited a few of those places."

"Diane!" King exasperated, his face red. "We're getting off topic here!"

"Actually, this is a much better turn of the conversation than you trying to lecture me, King," Meliodas grinned crookedly at the ginger haired man. The Sin of Sloth sunk lower into his seat, mumbling something under his breath. "What were ya saying, Di?"

Diane giggled, only getting the chance to form a sly smile before King spoke up again.

"I-I only meant that we should be more careful. Especially now." His amber eyes flickered to mine for a second, surprising me.

I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from retorting. _He's being rightfully cautious,_ I convinced myself.

"Even better reason to just keep her right here, dontcha think?" Meliodas smiled at the man. His teasing tone was gone. Like he didn't blame King at all for questioning his judgement. A curious thing, considering Meliodas was supposed to be the leader. "Don't need to expose it all right away."

"You're right… Sorry for bringing it up."

"Don't be. It's good that we're all on the same page. I appreciate your insight King, you know that I do." Meliodas placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

Something about Meliodas statement had me wondering more on just what part the ginger haired man played. He's not the right hand man. No, that title fell to Ban. So just where did King fit that he could so easily judge his boss' choices? From what I'd seen, Meliodas wasn't exactly commanding, but he didn't seem like the type of man who'd let someone question his authority. Not on something like this, at least.

I shook my head of those thoughts too. It didn't do me any good to think like that. If Meliodas' backstory didn't matter, King's sure as hell didn't either. None of them did.

"You're right too. In a different situation, a safe house would have been better." The blonde spoke again.

"I'm right here," I grumbled, annoyed. My patience for being talked about like I wasn't even in the room, finally reaching its limit.

"Drink up, Princess," Ban insisted, pushing my mug closer - intent on stealing my attention away from the conversation at hand. "You seem a bit tense," he gave me a crooked grin and I scowled.

 _Of course I'm tense!_ I wanted to hiss at the man. I'd been here for a week now and despite what we found the previous night, that we had yet to discuss, I'm still no closer to solving this case. I had way more questions than answers.

I eyed him and the drink respectively, "It's not even noon yet." I said, pushing the mug back toward him, refusing to let them cloud my judgment any further, "Besides, don't we have something more _important_ to be doing?" I emphasized the word while shooting a pointed glare at Meliodas.

Ban snorted, taking my rejected mug and throwing it back like it was water, "A mug a day keeps the doc away!"

 _What a moron..._

"I'm fairly certain that catchphrase is actually going to be the death of you." I spat back dryly, earning a couple of chuckles.

Diane abandoned King at his seat in favor of coming to wrap an arm around my shoulder, "Well aren't you salty this morning." She teased with a grin, her arms wrapping around me and pulling me close to her. "All that excitement yesterday leave you in a bad mood?"

I'm reminded yet again of our… escapades… the night before. The party, the kiss, the break in, the fire, the explosion, Merlin, Escanor… and to top it off I just knowingly introduced a wanted criminal to my lawyer sister. Bad mood was an understatement. Perhaps _they_ were going to be the death of me.

I rolled my eyes, attempting to sink lower - possibly out of existence, but found myself only buried deeper into Diane's floral-perfumed embrace, "Can we just _please_ take a look at those files you found?" I muttered in desperation. I'm begging. Truly, I am a broken spirit at this point.

Meliodas gave a long hum at my side, just to piss me off, I'm sure, "Di, you got things?" he asked finally, and the brunette chirped a happy, "Yep!" before releasing me and going to speak with the customers, asking for refills and taking more orders.

"Alright," Meliodas downed the rest of his mug, "Then I guess it's time to get back to work." His smile was back on me, and it reminded me of that tender expression he'd given me in the car. Was he humoring me now? He'd given in so easily…

"Count me out," Ban quipped from behind the counter.

"Staying to help Diane?" Meliodas teased with a small smirk. "That's sweet of you."

Ban snorted. "As if. You know how much I hate the information shit you guys muddle through." He did make a similar comment last night when I wanted to look over everything after Diane and King went to bed.

"Yeah, yeah," Meliodas chuckled.

"I'll come," King sighed getting up from his seat.

"You don't have a choice."

The ginger rolled his eyes just as Diane came back to the bar. She placed a kiss to his cheek. "That's what you get for being smart," she teased with an affectionate smile. "Two specials Ban."

The cook grumbled his annoyance but got up to go to the kitchen anyway. Diane was back conversing with customers and King was already leading the way to the back room I was in two days prior. I quickly make to follow him, Meliodas right at my side. Not a word was spoken between us as the blonde shut the door behind him. King punched the button on the phone and the secret door opened.

"Well," the ginger started as he plopped down in the chair in front of the old laptop. His eyes locked with Meliodas before settling on me. "What do you wanna know?"

I blinked, caught off guard by the forwardness of his question. "Uh, everything?" I voiced cautiously. This had to be yet another trick. But it seemed unlikely coming from King.

"Everything is a bit much," he replied simply. The Sin of Sloth dug into a drawer of the desk, while motioning for me to take a seat.

My eyes found Meliodas, a secret smile playing at his lips as he just observed. He too gestured at the empty chair at the table. I found myself apprehensive but took the chair anyway.

"This," King held up a folder and then handed it to me as he joined me at the table. "Is just what we found last night. We'll start here."

"Start?" I couldn't help but voice. I guess I was expecting to start from the beginning. But I suppose that would give away the sin's involvement in all of this. A topic none of them seemed keen on shining too bright a light on.

"Like I said, there's a lot to go through," he gave me a small smile, head resting in his open palm. "We'll start with this since it's what you asked for."

"I don't care what we start with," I couldn't stomp down the irritation that I knew was laced into my voice if the men's matching expressions of mild surprise were anything to go off. "You guys said you would help. I want to know what you know." My patience was thin today.

Meliodas chuckled, hip resting against the desk as he shot the other man a grin. King sighed heavily. "I swear everyone only hears half of what I say," he grumbled under his breath, causing Meliodas to laugh again. "Just open the folder," King drew my attention back to the file in my hand.

A frown formed on my face at his comment but I did as he said. My jaw slacked at what I saw.

"What… what is this?" I began to finger through the collection of papers. My mind barely even able to process it.

There were sheets of data. Numbers, locations, more numbers - many of which were prefaced with dollar signs, company names, stocks, company stocks. Some of the rows had been highlighted, but that didn't help me make sense of any of it.

"A summary of what we found last night. Both from the warehouse _and_ what you guys managed to get from the Mayor's computer," King explained, fingers drumming against the tabletop.

My brows furrowed and I glanced up from the evidence to glare at King. "A summary? You tampered with this already?"

His amber eyes stared blankly back at me. An unreadable expression on his features that I thought I would only ever see on Meliodas. The two men stared at each other before looking back at me.

And then they laughed.

"T-tampered?" King spoke through his chuckles.

Meliodas shook his head, taking over for the man. "We aren't the police, Princess. Everything we get isn't exactly by the book."

I flushed, embarrassed that I had said such a thing. Meliodas was right. They weren't the police. I should be working under the assumption that anything they gave me, King had, at the very least, looked through first.

"If there's anyone of us that you can trust here to get you the information you _need_ to know about, it's him." He clasped a hand on King's shoulder. The ginger looked at him, obviously surprised by the statement. Meliodas grinned down at him and then added, "mostly because the rest of us don't wanna be bored with shifting through all this information."

King rolled his eyes, shrugging off the blonde's hand as he laughed sarcastically. "Oh, ha, ha. You got me boss. I just love going through all this crap when I'm hungover and sorting it out so it's easier for everyone else."

"I know, that's what makes you _such_ a valuable member of the team." The leader of the Sins continued to beam at his comrade in crime.

"Ugh," he groaned, slumping against the table. "Why do I even stay here anymore?"

"Cause we're friends-"

"Debatable."

"- but mostly because of Diane," Meliodas finished with a crooked grin.

King flushed slightly as he straightened, but didn't contradict Meliodas' words. Instead, he looked back to me, all business. "Yes. This is a summary of what we found. I pulled the important data off the flash drive and put it in here along with pertinent sections of what we got from the warehouse. I do this every time we find something and this file," he tapped the folder on the table for emphasis, "is exactly what I'd give the boss before we'd bring it to everyone else."

Not once during King's explanation had he looked away from me, clearly trying to drive home the point that he did this all for the benefit of the team. Not me.

Oddly enough, I'm not at all offended by his words. Just the opposite actually. His clarification was… reassuring. I glanced down. _If this is what he was going to give Meliodas anyway, then there's no reason from him to leave anything out._ For the second time since walking in the bar, I felt hopeful. I was finally going to get somewhere.

"When did you even find the time to do this?" I asked him as I continued to page through the information. "Last I checked, everyone was still sleeping when we left."

I glanced up in time to see King settling back into his chair. He gave me another smile and I returned it, hoping to convey my thanks for his explanation. Meliodas wheeled over the chair from the desk and sat it on my side of the table.

"About an hour ago," the ginger answered. "Not nearly as much info as I thought there was going to be. Took me a half hour, numbers were spinning for a while there," he admitted with a disgruntled sigh. "Most of it was junk." He scrunched up his nose in disdain at the lack of data.

"Shit," Meliodas cursed, leaning closer to me to get a better eye at what King meant. I had to force myself to stay still and not shift at his sudden close proximity. _Does this man have no sense of personal space?_

"But, there's still so much here," I mumbled as I fingered through what they found. "How did it only take you half an hour to pick out what was important?" Throw in the fact that he's extremely hungover and I couldn't grasp how he was able to accomplish such a task in such a short amount of time.

King shrugged. "Been doing this kinda stuff for a long time," he answered vaguely, not meeting my gaze. A peculiar thing given how intensely he'd stared at me moments ago to convince me he wasn't hiding any information.

"Like I said last night," Meliodas took the reigns of the conversation. "Each of us has something we're good at. King helps me with the bar's paperwork and is the, let's call him, the _Accountant_ for the Sins."

King gave him a strange look, but Meliodas didn't even glance his way. His green eyes were on me, waiting for a reply.

"I thought that was Gowther?"

"Gowther's smarter sure, and Merlin is too," the blonde nodded as he pulled at the papers in the file. "But Gowther isn't here enough to go through things on a regular basis, plus he wouldn't be good at it. There's an, _art_ , almost to putting the pieces together. Gowther doesn't do art. He could find the data, but he couldn't tell you the motives." Meliodas paused enough to chuckle at the thought. "Merlin, well she probably could manage just fine, but she doesn't have the background for it. And, as you know, she's a bit busy with other work."

I scowled at the reminder. The _other work_ being her place within the precinct. Helping keep the Sins out of the fire and probably feeding them the information they needed that way. Unlike last night though, I didn't feel the sting of betrayal as sharply. I wasn't sure why. Did it have anything to do with Meliodas' sudden trust in me this morning that spurred it on? I'm not sure I even wanted to think on it.

"You've probably realized it already, but the only Sins here full time are myself, Ban, King and Diane," Meliodas hand grazed over mine to get a particular piece of paper.

I drew my own back quickly and ignored the quirked brow from King across the table. Again, the hand Meliodas had touched was the very same he had mended last night - the same he'd taken at my sister's house. I brought it to my lap and ran my thumb over the bandage. I'd nearly forgotten about it until now.

"Why is that?" I questioned, determined to pay no mind to the memories and how they twisted my stomach in knots.

"Ran out of room," Meliodas replied with a cheeky grin.

King snorted and I welcomed the distraction from the blonde next to me. "She knows that isn't true. You have her in one of the extra bedrooms." He shook his head. "Really, it's 'cause the four of us don't have anywhere else to go. Merlin and Escanor had lives long before this and will after its done. Gowther, well, he has his own kind of routines he likes to stick to."

I nibbled the inside of my cheek. I'd never really thought about it, but King was right. He had mentioned it last night in his drunken state; Escanor having a normal life, that part wasn't new to me, the thought of Merlin though… It shouldn't have caught me off guard. The woman was someone I saw on a fairly normal basis given our line of work, but the thought of _her_ life being normal seemed so far fetched when I thought of her involvement with the Sins.

The other curious thing was his mention of _after its done_... did that mean the Sins had only come together for a certain purpose? Did they plan on disbanding?

Meliodas moving next to me distracted me as he leaned over the table and flicked King in the forehead. Apparently I wasn't the only one who realized just how much King had given away.

"Ow!" He cried hands flying up to the attacked skin. "What was that for, boss?!"

"Blabbermouth," the blonde responded cheerily.

"Princess isn't stupid," King scowled as he rubbed his forehead. "I'm sure she figured that out without me telling her." He then grumbled under his breath, "As if I didn't have enough of a headache already."

Meliodas shrugged, settling back into his chair. "Maybe, but you don't need to talk about the past, at all. Got it?"

The two stared at each other, a silent conversation that I couldn't hear, but tried to as I glanced back and forth between them.

 _Maybe King isn't such a loss to me after all._

"What do these numbers mean?" I asked quickly, pointing to the highlighted portions, attempting to distract them for once. The last thing I needed was for Meliodas to drill the idea of silence.

King leaned over to see the paper, "Those are the accounts of a company we've been keeping tabs on called Commandments. Essentially, they're a shell corporation; one that's growing rather fast, and we've found them on the payroll of a lot of very high-powered people. The Mayor included." He explained, tabbing through some of the pages and yanking one from my hands to place on top, pointing to a similarly highlighted segment on this page. I assumed he's pointing to this because it had to do with the Mayor's finances in some way.

"Alright? Shell corporations aren't illegal." I remarked, remembering my brief education in business law. The concept he was driving was not foreign to me, but I was not quite grasping what he was hinting at.

Meliodas chuckled dryly at my side, his eyes glued to one of the sheets of paper. "This one is. It's a cover. A damned good one at that." That last statement came with a bit of a bite to it.

I looked down at the papers, trying to decipher for myself what seemed so obvious to them, "For what?"

"The criminal underworld." King said, like he was telling me a ghost story. Well… I suppose he was.

That didn't mean I believed it, though. "You're joking, right?"

"Not at all." Meliodas answered for him, sounding unusually serious for a change, "This company is making it easier for a lot of gangs, corrupt companies, and influential people to break the law under the guise of a legitimate business transaction."

I glanced back and forth between the two of them. Neither appeared to be lying. They actually believed that this company they were telling me about, _Commandments,_ was being used to fund the worst kind of people. A frown worked its way onto my face as I tried, and failed, once again to figure out the papers before me. Business had never been one of my strong points.

"This is unbelievable," I found myself muttering.

"Did you think it would be all cut and dry, Princess?" Meliodas quirked a brow at me.

"... I was hoping…" I admitted with a heavy sigh.

My eyes shifted to the board, all the articles and red lines connecting them with people. This was a lot more complicated than I'd ever thought - and this was just where we were "starting". I walked up to the board, studying the picture of my target. The sting operation was just over a week ago and already it felt like it'd been a year.

"... how long did it take you guys to get this much information?" I couldn't help but ask.

"Longer than I want to admit," Meliodas answered vaguely, him and King sharing yet another meaningful look. Neither seemingly very happy with the fact.

I nibbled my lip, arms wrapping around myself. Just knowing how much was on the board, how much information, and time it had to take for them to get what they had. It was becoming all to clear the Sins knew way more than I could have ever dreamed of.

"This is going to take longer than a day to explain, isn't it?" I asked even though I already knew the answer.

"You got it," Meliodas told me with a wide grin.

I sighed again. "Then let's get back to work."

* * *

Dom: *Eye twitches as she types at break-neck speed, she looks like she hasn't slept in days and her desk is littered with stacked mugs and empty energy drink cans*

Luv: *cautiously pokes her head in the door, making a face at the mess* Um… Dom? You, uh, okay in here?

Dom: *Keeps typing, as she creepily turns her head to look at Luv* Fine. I'm fine. Working. Just work. All is Fine! Work is fine! *Laughs hysterically before stopping abruptly, turning back to the computer*

Luv: *clears throat* Uh, okay…. Well * carefully steps into the room, making sure she has an easy escape* Maybe you should… take a break? Or a nap?... *takes a whiff of the room*... Or a shower?

Dom: *All typing ceases, and everything is quiet before dom turns a glare on Luv* I'll have you know that I shower on a regular basis, thank you very… *catches whiff of something, before looking around bewildered* What day is it?

Luv: …. It's Friday...

Dom: *Eye twitches again, as she looks around the room* The actual fuck? I thought it was still TUESDAY! *Drops to knees* WHAT YEAR IS IT?!

Luv: *sighs heavily, treading through the mess to the window* If you'd open the curtains, maybe you'd notice the days passing better *throws open the blinds*

Dom: *Hisses at the sudden introduction of sunlight to the room* NOOOOOO! I'M MELTING! *Collapses dramatically on the floor, twitching for effect*

Luv: You're _not_ melting. *rolls her eyes at Dom's overreaction* You're just tired. Let's just get through the preview and get you to bed.

Dom: … *Sits up after her award-winning performance* That's fair. Next time on Don't Trust Me: It's information overload for Elizabeth. She's finally getting up to speed on the information the sins have - but what she wasn't expecting was to learn a little more than she bargained for about a certain ginger-haired sin. Will she be able to stay detached, or will she start seeing the humanity beneath the crimes?

Luv: *starts dragging Dom out of the room* Okay, shower first, then food, _then_ bed.

Dom: *Sighs heavily as she allows Luv to drag her out of the office* Man… All work and no play makes Dom a grumpy… and stinky dom...

Luv: And no one wants a grumpy dom. *looks to the readers* _Trust_ me..

Dom: NO ONE…. *sinister overtones and lightning flashes*

Luv: *completely ignores the sudden change in atmosphere as she cheerily says* See ya guys next chapter!


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

A few days passed.

Each morning, King and Meliodas took the time to walk me through bits and pieces of what they found. It's more than I ever could have hoped for and honestly, a bit overwhelming. But the men had been surprisingly patient with me. They didn't answer every question I asked fully, and I didn't expect them too. Instead, they'd have one of those damn _silent conversations_ before one of them answered enough to satisfy my curiosity.

It's weird. How well they could do that.

More often than not, my mind wandered to how the two of them could be on such a high level of nonverbal communication. It's something all three of the men seemed to be capable of actually, and I found it more and more annoying.

And also more curious about the past Meliodas had forbidden King to speak of.

Even more curious about what Gilthunder would find out about that picture I sent him. I tried not to dwell on that thought too much. It would be another couple of days before I expected to see anything from him. And that was with the condition that nothing went wrong - there was no guarantee that I would even get the info I was looking for.

My feet pat quietly against the steps as I made my way downstairs. It's another early morning, about the same time I'd normally meet with Meliodas and King. But as I hit the landing, it's oddly quiet. I'd gotten used to the sounds of the two's quiet chatter as they sipped their coffees at the bar, waiting for me so we could get started.

Ban and Diane weren't usually morning people. From what I've gathered, everyone being up so early my first day here was not a normal occurrence. King didn't seem like a morning person either for that matter - a surprise given our early meetings the past few days. Only the blonde leader of the Sins seemed to to be. Knowing Meliodas, he was probably the reason King even bothered getting out of bed. I doubted it was solely for my sake.

I turned the corner and narrowed my eyes at the bar's lone occupant.

King.

As I took a step closer, he lifted his head up off the bar where he was obviously dozing and offered me a lazy smile and half hearted wave. "Morning, Princess."

"Morning, King," I nodded my head in greeting. My eyes traveled across the room, trying to find any indication of the other body that should be here with us.

"Boss is out this morning." He answered my unvoiced question as he stretched out with sluggish yawn.

I flushed lightly. "I wasn't looking for him," I denied lamely.

"Sure," King replied simply, not saying anything more on the matter. His eyes gave me a once over and I swore I saw a small shake of his head. "It'll be just the two of us til he gets back."

"Oh."

"Coffee?" The ginger offered kindly, sliding an already full cup my way.

I nodded my head and gave him a thankful smile. For both the coffee and not pestering me any further on Meliodas. That was one of the things I had come to appreciate from the Sin of Sloth - his calmness. If Ban or Diane had found me searching the room for their Boss, they would have said something suggestive. Where King… I'm not sure if he didn't care, or if he just knew how uncomfortable it made me. Either way, the silence between us had become oddly comforting in this crazy two weeks.

The bar was rarely quiet when I was with anyone else. Diane was an energetic person. When I'm with her, there's never even a moment of silence. And while I had come to enjoy Diane and her antics - reminding me how I desperately wished we could be friends - they were also exhausting. Ban was still a wildcard. He went from hot to cold most days and I just couldn't seem to get a read on the guy at all.

Meliodas… He's a different subject entirely. One I refused to stop and think on if I could help it.

I took a seat next to King, the aroma of the coffee invading my senses as I lifted it to my lips. A pleased sigh left me and I set it back down. As much as I valued the silent moments King allowed, I knew I needed to capitalize on this opportunity. So far, most of the information I'd been able to gleam on the Sins had come from this man. The chance to talk to him without Meliodas around was too good to pass up.

"What is Meliodas up to so early this morning?" I ventured, taking another sip of my coffee as I attempted to appear indifferent.

King barely spared me a glance, but I caught the small quirk to his brow. "Not really sure," he answered with a shrug of his shoulders.

The ginger wasn't stupid. I knew that he wasn't. Despite Meliodas calling him a blabbermouth, I still had to be careful with my questions or I'd rouse his suspicions. "He didn't tell you?"

"I didn't ask." He propped his elbow up on the counter, resting his chin in an open palm. I thought over what I wanted to say next as he took a drink.

"That seems… odd."

"Not really. He usually disappears at least once a month about this time."

"So you _do_ know where he went."

He shrugged again, unbothered with my observation. "I have a good guess." I scowled at him and he chuckled, a small uptick to his lips. "It may be early in the morning, but that doesn't mean I'm going to spill all the Boss's secrets, Princess."

My eyes widened and I scrambled to come up with something believable. "I-I wasn't - I was just trying to make conversation!"

"And you're very good at it," he waved off my explanation lazily with a roll of his eyes. "Too bad I have to take everything you say as you trying to dig for information."

"I- that's not-" I struggled for words, caught off guard with his statement. He didn't say it as anything more than a fact - not meant in an unkind way - but somehow his words still stung. "That's not fair," I mumbled, grasping my coffee cup tightly.

"Life's never been fair," he responded pausing long enough to take a drink. "At least in my experience," he added, almost like an afterthought.

I nibbled at my bottom lip. "Has it really been so bad?"

King smiled at me, somewhere between amused and sad. "I'm a Sin. It's not a title I would have chosen. But it fits."

 _The Sin of Sloth…_ ran through my mind. _How did the Sins end up with these titles? Why the name Seven Deadly Sins in the first place?_

He didn't give me much of a chance to think on it as he pushed away from the bar with a heavy sigh. "I suppose, we better get started. Boss'll be mad if we're still here chatting over coffee when he gets back."

"And that will be….?"

He smiled at my second attempt at getting information from him, clearly amused this time. King said nothing as he filled his cup and walked towards the underground lair. When he's through the door, I sighed, already knowing he'd wait for me in the room with the phone. I grabbed more coffee and joined the man, ready to continue from where we left off yesterday.

So far, everything came back to this company; Commandments. Meliodas and King seemed convinced they were funding the criminal market in the city. Nothing was out of the question. Drugs, gangs, corruption, murder… Each crime or individual listed on the Sin's board had some sort of connection to the company - connections that were so obscure sometimes, there was no way the police would have tied them together. It felt like some giant conspiracy. But the one question no one seemed to be able to answer was: were they responsible for XGEN?

"You can tie them to murders our own precinct hasn't been able to solve, but you can't tell me if they're the ones developing and distributing XGEN?" I asked King from my place at the board. I was cross referencing info he'd given me with pieces hanging up.

He shrugged from his usual chair, "none of this is a perfect science. There is a bit of conjecture to some of it, which is why we go out and find the data to back it all up." He swirled around to continue searching the digital data running on his screen, "So far, though, we've found that major dealers of that drug do have connections with Commandments. But we haven't been able to find anyone who can point a finger at the source."

A frustrated growl escaped me as I scratched relentlessly at an itch that wasn't really there, "I just don't get it! Why create something like this? What's the point?"

"There's a lot of money to be had in crime. Sometimes it's about more than that, but mostly, it's about money," his eyes flickered to mine for only a moment before darting back across the screen. "And to be honest, this kind of thing can be a lot easier than earning a wage legitimately."

That made me pause. How would he know that?

"That's another thing I don't get." I started, finding my way back to sitting at the desk with him, "I know why I'm here. But I just can't wrap my head around why all of you are tangled up in all of this." I had his attention. His eyes were glued to his screen as if he's ignoring me, but he had stopped scanning. "This company has a lot of hands in a lot of powerful pockets from what you've shown me. Why would you all risk yourselves by trying to expose them? What's in it for you?"

King was silent. Perhaps I had pushed too hard this time.

"There's nothing in it for us, Princess." King replied quietly just when I thought I had ruined my chances of getting him to talk. "This is bigger than all of us, and we just want to see it destroyed." He looked at me finally. There was no anger there. Just resolution.

Bigger than all of them, huh?

"But _why?_ " I pressed maybe a little too eagerly. There was a familiar determination in his eyes, one I'd seen in Meliodas before. "This isn't the type of thing you just come across and throw yourself into, King."

He snorted, amusement flashing across his features before he returned his attention back to the computer. "Isn't that exactly what you did, Princess?"

My jaw opened and then shut. Why did his question leave such a bad taste in my mouth? "No. It's not. This is my job." I responded simply, feeling the need to say… _something_ to defend myself.

King hummed; the only indication he gave that he heard my statement.

I didn't push my luck any further. I frowned lightly, replaying his poetic declaration in my mind, before going back to the papers in my hands.

An hour later, Diane walked in with breakfast and thankfully, more coffee. These early mornings and lack of sleep were starting to get to me. I'd basically been surviving off colombian dark roast and determination at this point. At least King drank the same amount if not more than me. It made me feel a little better about the newly developed habit.

As soon as the door had opened, King immediately stopped his work to just watch her. Something I'd gotten used to whenever the other woman would enter the room in the morning. It was actually kind of entertaining to watch. I'd never seen another human being so enamored by someone as King was with Diane. It was sweet.

"Morning!" The brunette chirped merrily. She did a quick glance around the room before setting the tray of food down. "No boss?" She held up the coffee pot, silently asking if we wanted more.

"It's Thursday." King offered simply as he slid his cup over for her to refill. I mimicked his action.

"Ah, that's right," Diane nodded her head in understanding at his, what seemed to me, vague response.

She leaned over the table after filling our cups and planted a kiss on the unsuspecting man. I looked away, trying to give them privacy in the small room. Not that Diane cared if they had an audience. That was something I learned fairly quickly. But King wasn't near as comfortable with P.D.A so I busied myself with the food she brought.

"Morning, King," she mumbled and I heard her kiss him again. "I missed you in bed again. You weren't there when I woke up."

I flushed at her insinuation.

"Sorry," King replied quietly, voice regretful. "Boss's orders."

Diane straightened in my peripheral and I took that as my cue to look back at the couple. The Sin of Envy huffed. "He could'a let you sleep in until he got back, at least. What's the boss's deal? Having you spend time alone with a beautiful young woman?"

I practically spat out my coffee as she shot me an inspecting glare.

"Diane, you're a beautiful young woman, too and I don't-"

"So you admit she's beautiful?"

King shook his head but I could see the light flush to his skin. "Yes, Princess is pretty but-"

"King! How could you?!" Diane whined. Her bottom lip jutted out as she openly pouted. "You're supposed to be all mine now!"

"I am but-"

"I mean, I have to agree. Elizabeth _is_ a total babe," she went from whining to contemplative so fast it made my head spin. "But if you want to do anything with her, I have to be there too, got it?"

My eyes widened and Kings jaw dropped. "D-Diane! That's not-!"

"W-we wouldn't-!" I tried to argue along with the man. My skin was far too warm and the conversation way too lively for this time of morning. _You think I'd be used to it by now_ …

Diane's laughter interrupted our pointless sputtering. I should have known she was just trying to get a rise out of us. After me, King seemed like everyone's favorite person to torment. How they all seemed to have an unlimited supply of embarrassing suggestions, I'd never know. Nor do I think I _wanted_ to.

"Diane!" King complained loudly. "Stop that!"

"Stop what?" She asked innocently with a tilt of her head. A smile tugged at her lips.

"Making those jokes!"

"Who said I was joking?"

Again, my skin heated to unhealthy levels. I had a hard time figuring out how one woman could be so suggestive all the time with someone she barely knew for two weeks. My thoughts were halted as Diane wrapped her arms around me, her chin resting on my shoulder as she stared at King across the table.

"I wouldn't say no if Princess wanted to have some fun with us while she's here," the other woman practically purred, cheek brushing against my own.

King fell out of his chair.

"D-Diane," I struggled to keep my voice even, thoroughly embarrassed.

The Sin of Envy giggled and planted a kiss to my cheek before pulling away. "You're too much fun Elizabeth! How did I ever fight off boredom without you here?"

"Hey!" King called from across the table, obviously offended. He frowned as he climbed back into his chair.

She rolled her bright amethyst eyes. "Of course we have fun King. But this is the most you've been here in a long time. You and Ban aren't usually around this much."

"... good point."

"Besides," she leaned on the table in between the two of us, pressing her arms together so even more of her cleavage was displayed. "We have a different kind of fun," she winked.

King's face lit up in color. "Diane," he groaned and there's a hint of a warning to his tone.

"Sorry, sorry," she chuckled and pecked him on the cheek.

"We need to get back to work," he sighed heavily as he ran a hand down his face. I wondered if these kinds of exchanges were as exhausting for him as they were for me.

"Are you kicking me out?" Diane teased with a quirked brow.

"Yes."

She hummed as she pursed her lips. "Fine. You're lucky I like you so much, ya know?"

"I know." He gave her a small smile as she made her way to the door.

Diane's just about to leave when she threw a cheeky grin over her shoulder. "Don't forget, no messing around without me you two. Or there will be body parts lost."

And then she left.

I stared at the closed door with wide eyes. "She's joking, right?" My cheeks were still warm as I glanced back at King.

He idly picked at his food. "About which part?"

"Uh… all of it?" The fact that Diane could make such a threat with a smile on her face had me wondering. She did the same thing back when I first met her. To the men who harassed her and to me when she warned me about sneaking out. A chill passed through me at the memory.

"The maiming, no. She's definitely serious about that." He looked up at me, brows knitted together in thought. "Honestly can't tell with the other part, though." He went back to picking at his food.

I began to eat my own. We ate in silence and it's welcoming. The time was spent trying to get my mind back on track to what we had been discussing before Diane stopped in. I found myself thankful that Meliodas hadn't been here to witness the embarrassing scene. Though I didn't doubt Diane would probably tell him and Ban anyways.

"... if Diane makes you uncomfortable at all, just tell her to stop. Or I can talk to her for you," King's voice interrupted my thoughts. My eyes met his and he gave me a somewhat nervous smile. "I know she - that they all can - be a bit… overbearing at times." He went on to explain. "I can't promise Meliodas or Ban would stop if you asked them to, in fact, I know they wouldn't." He shook his head. "But Diane would if you asked."

"What about you?"

"Huh?"

"They all tease you just as much as me… Doesn't that make you uncomfortable?" I played with the hem of my shirt so I didn't have to look him in the eye.

"I'm used to it for the most part," he replied as he leaned back in his chair. "And I really don't mind it coming from Diane."

"You really care for her, don't you?" The words slipped past my lips before I could stop them. My eyes snapped to him, ready to do damage control, but instead of the anger I expected to find, he's smiling. So I took a chance and add, "I can hardly believe that you two have only been together for such a short amount of time."

"Ah," he chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "I had feelings for Diane long before we actually started dating."

That brought me back to what Meliodas had said about the two going 'undercover' back at the Mayor's home. Which reminded me…

"Meliodas mentioned that I should ask one of you how the two of you met." I smiled and folded my hands on the table as I leaned forward curiously. "He didn't give me any details but he seemed to find it humorous."

King flushed and mumbled, "That jackass," under his breath. His gaze met mine and he chuckled awkwardly. He shifted anxiously in his seat before giving me an apologetic grin. "Another time, maybe? We really do need to get back to work."

Not long after that, Meliodas finally joined us. King continued as if he'd been there the whole time, not acknowledging him walking in, but easily incorporating him into the conversation. The ginger didn't give me a chance to question the blonde on where he had been.

And from the way Meliodas was acting, I'm not sure that I really wanted to.

From the moment Meliodas had entered the room, I could tell something was off. He was… irritable, almost. Something I wasn't really accustomed to but King handled as if it was nothing new. When Meliodas made an underhanded jab at him, the ginger merely responded sarcastically and shifted the conversation to something else pertaining to our topic. I thought it would have angered Meliodas, being blatantly ignored when he was so obviously trying to get a rise out of the Sin of Sloth, but he seemed… thankful. As if he didn't really mean what he was saying. And that made me wonder if King knew that.

Just what was Meliodas doing to put him in this bad of a mood?

Diane brought us lunch, no funny business this time - merely saying hi and dropping off food. She reminded us of the time, telling us not to get too carried away. The bar usually started to pick up people around four as people started getting off work. The Boar Hat offered a pretty good happy hour special that many people liked to take advantage of. Thursday was 'buy an ale get the second half priced'. One of our busier days because of the special. I could only imagine how good they would do if the special wasn't in the middle of the week.

"Diane, I've been meaning to ask you… where did you get that dress I wore?" I cautiously broached the topic. Diane froze in the doorway at my question. "It fit in perfectly at the party." It was extremely expensive. I could tell by the material and not to mention the tag. How did she get her hands on it?

"... it was a gift.." she threw a smile over her shoulder. But it's nothing near her usually bright face. Even her tone seemed off. I didn't get to question her anymore before she left.

I frowned, turning back toward King. I was shocked to find his knuckles white, hands holding far too tightly on a folder. His eyes were downcast. I blinked and suddenly he's back to sifting through papers. I half wondered if I imagined such a weird reaction from him at the mention of Diane's dress.

Because what reason would he have to act like that?

Meliodas was quick to change the subject, "so basically, this," he tapped a folder sitting in front of him, "is what lead us back to the Mayor."

"So you think he has a hand in running that Commandments company?" I dragged the folder to me and began looking through the papers within it.

"Running? No. But him or someone in his office is involved," King commented as he handed me a piece of paper. "I'm assuming you know what this is, right?"

"Of course I do," I rolled my eyes at him. "It's obviously phone records." My words come out a bit harsher than I intended.

The ginger didn't seem phased, shrugging as he answered. "Just double checking. You'd be surprised by the amount of ignorance on a police force at any given time."

"King," Meliodas warned.

"What is that supposed to mean?" I felt the sting of his words and it sparked my defensiveness. Who exactly was he talking about?

"Just as I said. Not everyone who joins law enforcement is a good person, Princess." He told me flatly.

A remark was on the tip of my tongue when Meliodas stepped in again. "Don't mind him. He's just crabby today. Probably woke up _too early_." He squeezed King's shoulder, the man wincing at the touch. "I think that's enough. Let's call it quits until tomorrow."

"At least let me finish this explanation," King mumbled, removing Meliodas' hand from him with a frown. "As I was saying, that," he pointed at the paper in my hand, "is phone records of calls from the Mayor's office. I haven't finished processing the information from the bugs we planted but I have a good guess at who's been making them."

"The mayor?"

"Close," that small smile King usually wore, returned. "His _wife_."

* * *

Dom: *Walks outside hearing the strangest combination of clothing - A hat, scarf and gloves, shorts and a tee-shirt, and fall boots* LUV! I'm ready!

Luv: Yay! *She beams widely, not at all thrown off by the odd clothing combination* You're ready for spring in the midwest! *grabs hand and starts dragging her along* Let's go!

Dom: YES! LET US DEPART! *Willingly follows, but then stops after several feet* WAIT! Where are we going again?

Luv: *pauses and thinks* Uhhhhhhh… *brightens as she thinks of something* A baseball game!

Dom: But… I'm not dressed for baseball! *Ignoring complete lack of sense of style*

Luv: *tilts her head* You aren't? That's usually how people dress for the first few spring games… *takes in Dom's appearance for the first time.* You could… put on jeans… I guess? But I have this for the random cold winds. *pulls a blanket out of nowhere*

Dom: But… but… I don't have a foam finger or a beer hat or anything! How can I go to a ball game without proper cheering attire?!

Luv: If you really need it, foam finger can be bought at the game. *starts counting off Dom's 'problems' on her fingers* You'll drink the beer too fast to have it in a hat annnndd *swaps out the hat with the team appropriate one* now you're covered!

Dom: YES! LET US GO ATTEND A SPORTS BALL EVENT! *Starts marching proudly in some random direction* LUV! TURN OUR PREVIEW INTO A SPORTS CHANT!

Luv:... Uh. No. No thanks. *starts walking in the opposite direction towards the stadium* Next Time on Don't Trust Me: Questions, Answers, and _Sleepovers?_ Elizabeth is learning quickly that there is more to the Sins than she originally thought - And the Sins are starting to show her sides she never dreamed she'd see. Can she stay detached?

Dom: LUV? WHERE IS THE SPORTS BALL?! *Yells out into the parking lot*

Luv: *sighs heavily and ignores the odd looks from other sports fans as she leads Dom in the right direction* This'll be interesting *mumbles under her breath before saying* See you guys next time!


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

"You're kidding?" I couldn't help but laugh. "The mayor's wife? That's who's behind all this?"

 _How cliche…_

King shook his head, clearly entertained at my response. "I wouldn't go so far as to say _all this_ but, the phone calls, yes."

"How much longer until you finish going through the recordings?" Meliodas asked, clicking a pen as he leaned back in his chair. "Thought you were gunna finish that yesterday."

"Between these meetings and helping out with the bar, haven't had much time," King's amusement was gone, replaced with the same heavy air that seemed to be around Meliodas. "I've been down here for at least two hours every night after the bar closes. I have to sleep too somewhere in there and then I'm getting up after a couple hours and doing it all over again."

"I didn't ask _why_ you weren't done with your job, King," Meliodas' tone was as dismissive as I've ever heard him use. The two of them had always been on the same page. Why was Meliodas being so cold today? He just heard how hard the man was working. "I asked how much longer."

I expected King to respond with something quick witted, sharp. Anything but the submissive bowing of his head. "Sorry, boss," he mumbled before clearing his throat. "I'll have it done before tomorrow morning's meeting." He looked back up, his eyes meeting Meliodas' in some silent agreement.

The blonde nodded, "good." His chair came back to rest on the ground and he headed for the door. "Clean up the mess and be out on the floor in ten minutes, bar will be busy soon." He didn't turn around, didn't wait for a response before he shut the door loudly behind him.

King let out a disgruntled sigh. "And he says _I'm_ crabby," I heard him grumble. He's already working to gather the papers back together, making sure each piece was in the correct order within the correct folder.

"Can I help?" I offered. I felt kinda bad for him. He'd obviously been overworked this past week and part of that was my fault.

"No, that's fine." He paused long enough in his sorting to give me a tired smile. "You can head upstairs to change if you want. I'll finish up here."

"If you're sure… I'll at least take care of the dishes," I said as I started gathering the empty plates and coffee cups.

"Thanks."

"No problem," I responded kindly as I lifted everything up to leave.

King stopped what he was doing to open the door for me. "Actually, Princess, I wanna apologize for earlier," he stared at the floor as his free hand rubbed the back of his neck, "I didn't mean to make it sound like I thought you were incompetent, because I don't." He raised his gaze and I could see the sincerity in his eyes.

The apology surprised me, though I suppose it shouldn't. King had always been kind to me.

I smiled at him. "It's alright. I got a little defensive about it. Sorry."

Because out of everyone here, King had been the only one so far to not make some snarky remark about me being a cop. When he had said those words ten minutes ago, I hated to admit it, but it had hurt.

"No, no," he waved his hands in front of him, clearly flustered that I was trying to apologize to him. "That was my fault too! I'm actually the one who is probably a bit too in the dark on the police here. My experiences may not apply."

My brows furrowed. _What an odd thing to say_ …

"Uh, anyway, I need to get back to those papers," he shuffled his feet back to the messy table. "See ya in a few," he waved over his shoulder, not sparing me a second glance.

"Yeah… see ya…" I responded lamely as I left the room to take the dishes to the kitchen and then changed.

Nothing particularly exciting happened once I arrived on the floor for my shift. Meliodas had been right, as the bar picked up not long after King joined us all. We were extremely busy. It still blew my mind how such a well kept bar stayed hidden within the slums of our town. Given its foot traffic, I would have thought one of the members of the police force would have stumbled upon it.

 _Though, it was entirely possible they had and just didn't know it_ , I couldn't help but think.

Ban was the only Sin we had a rough idea on physical appearance and even that wouldn't make anyone think of the bar's cook. He was in the kitchen most of the night until bar closed, so no one would have noticed him unless they were specifically looking.

"Oh, sorry!" I apologized quickly to Diane as I bumped her on my way to the bar.

She smiled widely at me, "no worries, Princess! It's a bit cramped in here tonight."

"Why is that?" My eyes scanned the bar as I waited for Meliodas to refill my tray.

"Thirsty Thursday!" The blonde responded, shooing Diane away. The other waitress huffed at his interruption but took her tray without a word. "Can't tell me you're _that_ far outta your college days, Princess."

I had noticed the clientele seemed to be a bit more… _lively_ than those who normally occupied the bar. Even in college I wasn't much of a drinker. On the few occasions Howser had convinced me to attend an event such as a _Thirsty Thursday_ , I would drink way too much. I was usually a fairly reserved person, but on those nights I would step out of my shell and dance on table tops with other women. If I remember right, Howser had to punch more than one guy who decided to get a little too friendly.

"Well, that expression on your face sure is telling," Meliodas joked with a smirk. "Just what kinda shenanigans did you manage to get into, I wonder?" His smirk only grew as he eyed me up and down.

I rolled my eyes, fighting the flush threatening to take me over. Refusing to give him the satisfaction of an answer, I took my tray and left.

By the time the bar closed, we were all exhausted.

Diane, King and myself collapsed onto barstools. The three of us were tasked with running back and forth between the tables. Even with the smaller setting of the bar, there was still far too many patrons for only three people to be taking and filling orders. Add in that we only had one cook and one bartender and still carried out orders in a timely fashion while keeping customers in, was extremely impressive feat. I'm not sure I'd ever know how we managed it.

"Whoa," Diane sighed heavily as she rested her elbows on the bar in an attempt to keep her head up off it. King didn't even bother, face hidden in his arms and appearing to be sleeping. "I can't believe how many people were here! You can tell college is back in session, that's for damn sure. Thank god we had an extra body!" The brunette perked up as she gave me a side armed hug. "We woulda been lost without you tonight, Princess!"

"No, no," I shook my head. "I'm still not very good."

"Well, why do you think I called you 'an extra body', and not a 'server'?" She teased, squeezing me as Meliodas and Ban stepped out of the kitchen. Plates of food in their hands.

My mouth practically watered. I was starving. Meliodas dropped a plate in front of each of us before disappearing back into the kitchen. Diane chatted happily next to me, telling me a story of a group of girls she had waited on. I half listened as something more interesting tugged at my attention.

"Better eat up," Ban encouraged King as he shook his shoulder. "Heard ya got a long night ahead ya yet. You'll need some energy."

King smacked his hand away, shifting his body away as much as he could to keep sleeping. "You do it. I'm just gunna… rest my eyes for a…"

The tall white haired man scowled as King drifted off. "Ya, no. Pretty sure even Princess here knows you're the only one who can go through that shit." He nodded his head in my direction.

I flushed as I realized Ban knew I was listening. Diane wasn't even chattering next to me anymore. A frown played at the other woman's lips as she seemed to fight back the urge to comment. Meliodas reappearing from the kitchen halted anything she had been about to say.

He walked around the bar silently and kicked King's chair. The ginger jolted awake and scowled at the man. "What? I was only taking a five minute nap."

"It's been ten," Meliodas responded shortly. "Take your food and go work."

The two stared at each other, neither looking like they were going to back down, until King sighed heavily. "Yeah, yeah, alright, I'm going." He slid off his barstool and grabbed his plate. He yawned loudly as he shut the door to the basement behind him.

As soon as King was gone, Diane whirled on Meliodas, absolutely livid. "Damnit, Boss! Lay off him a bit, would you?" She hissed lowly, obviously making sure King wouldn't be able to hear her.

"I don't know what you mean," the blonde took a long drawn out drink as he settled onto a barstool by Ban.

"Bullshit!" She spat as she sprung up from her chair. "You're driving him into the ground! He's barely gotten any sleep this week."

"Guy sleeps too much anyways."

Ban sniggered, "Got that right." The two clinked their mugs together in agreement.

I could practically see fumes coming off Diane. "That's not funny," she told them through clenched teeth. "He only got to bed at six this morning trying to finish those stupid recordings and then you had him waking up at half past seven!? That's not healthy, he needs more than an hour of sleep a night!"

"If King has a problem with what I have him working on, he'll tell me," Meliodas responded coolly.

"No he won't!" Diane threw her hands in the air in irritation. "And you damn well know that Meliodas. He's never objected to anything you set him to work on."

"She obviously wasn't here in the beginning," I heard Ban mutter over the lip of his mug.

"I know, I know, the three of you had _huge_ bonding experiences before I even showed up. The three amigos or whatever the fuck you called yourselves," her fingers tapped an impatient beat against her now crossed arms. She took a deep breathe. "Look, I'm glad that you guys are such good friends, really I am," Diane started to lose steam at the end of her rant. "But, you're really not being a good friend to him right now."

There's a silence after her statement.

"If he does his job, he'll get a break," Meliodas finally spoke into the deafening quiet. "No sooner."

"Ugh!" Daine barely held back a frustrated scream. "Then go help him instead of sitting on your ass drinking!"

His green eyes turned to look at her, thinly veiled tolerance was all I saw. "You know just as well as I do, Daine, that King works best _alone_." At the sight of her being so close to tears, his expression softened. "You know I'd help him if I could, Di. But I _need_ the information tomorrow."

"Fine," she huffed and left for the kitchen. She's back a few seconds later with a cup and a pot of coffee. The brunette basically stomped past us, obviously heading to King.

"Diane," Meliodas called and she paused. "Don't distract him. Drop that off then right back up here."

She threw him a vicious look over her shoulder, shouting in a sickeningly sweet voice. "Yes, _boss._ " Her head then whipped back around so fast, her pigtails were sure to leave marks against her cheeks.

"Shit," Ban cursed, taking a drink and then setting it back on the counter. "Been a long time since I've seen her so worked up over something."

"... yeah…" Meliodas said simply, walking around the bar to get another drink.

"Don't sweat it, boss," Ban told him. "She'll get over it. They both will."

I nibbled my lip, thrown by the entire exchange, but remaining still and quiet as I soaked up everything going on. Would the Sins ever stop surprising me?

"King didn't seem that upset when I talked to him earlier…" The comment left me before I could think better of it. I'm becoming much too involved.

"You wouldn't notice even if he was," Ban dismissed my observation. He turned his attention to me instead of the abnormally quiet Meliodas. "Guys pretty good at putting up a false front."

My brows furrowed. I couldn't see King being anything but honest. At the very least he seemed incapable of lying. He'd been so sincere when he apologized earlier. Was that an act? Did he really think I was stupid?

Ban chortled, bringing me out of my thoughts. "Don't worry too much, Princess. He's a lot better than he used to be."

Why did it seem all the Sins, even Ban - who was obviously not the sharpest tool in the shed - could speak in riddles?

"Diane's fault I'm pretty sure~." He shook his head, finishing up his mug and signaling Meliodas for another. "She's made him softer than he used to be~," he poked my shoulder. I slapped his hand away.

Meliodas finally joined the conversation at his comment. "Like Elaine hasn't changed you?" There's a small uptick to his lips. The ease with which he carried himself slowly falling back into place. "A good woman does that you know."

"Does what?" I almost dread the answer, thinking it may be something perverted. Given the two Sins I'm talking to, it was highly likely.

His green eyes met mine, seemingly deeper than they'd ever been before. I bit the inside of my lip to ground myself. "Make you wanna be a better man."

My eyes widened and I was unable to control the sudden fire burning over my cheeks as they flushed at his answer. That was definitely not something I had ever expected to hear from the Leader of the Sins. They were a bunch of criminals for crying out loud! How could he even say that with a straight face?!

"Elaine is one hellvua good woman," Ban sighed heavily. "I don't know how her and King are related. They're so different."

Meliodas broke his eye contact with me to look at his friend. "Not that different." He chuckled at Ban's scowl. "Given the circumstances, they _both_ turned out pretty damn good. Though… you're right, Elaine is better off. But…" he stared at the white haired man seriously, "you know that's because of King, right?"

"Yeah, a lot of things that happened to her are _his_ fault."

"Ban," Meliodas warned, an unusual sharpness to his voice. "That was out of his control."

The white haired man slumped against the counter and relented, "I know."

Their conversation had my mind once again spinning. Circumstances? What kind of circumstances would be severe enough for Meliodas to imply that the siblings turned out fine? Did they come from a broken home? And why would Elaine be better off because of what King did? And what exactly was out of the ginger's control regarding his sister?

"The fact she is the way she is, is nuthin short of a fuckin miracle," Ban grumbled against the counter.

"I'm gunna go ahead and be King here for a bit," Meliodas grinned before putting on a mock scowl and imitated the other man. "The real miracle here is that she even puts up with your drunk ass."

Both man broke out into gut-wrenching laughter.

I wondered if I should just go to bed. I'm obviously not on the same page as them.

"Elizabeth?" Diane surprised me, taking the open seat next to me. Her gaze was thoughtful and even a bit nervous. Something I hadn't really seen from her before. "Would you wanna have a sleepover with me?"

"H-huh?"

"I'm not ready to go to bed yet. Wanna do some drinking. But not with these guys," she poked her finger accusingly at the two men, glaring crossly at them. "So I thought we could just have a little sleepover in my room. A girls night." Diane turned to me to smile. "It's been years since I've had one."

Me too. The last time I had a sleepover would have been in college.

"Oh, um… sure?" I responded with uncertainty.

There really wasn't any reason not to. It actually could turn out to be a something I could use to my advantage. Diane liked to talk. Maybe getting a little alcohol in her system would get me some answers that my earlier conversation with King had me craving.

"Yay!" She tossed her arms around me in a tight hug. Her excitement caused guilt to churn in my stomach. "I was worried you'd think I was weird for asking."

"You are weird," Ban commented and the brunette pulled back from our hug to scowl at him. "Have to be to have any interest in that guy you're dating."

"Says the guy who spends more time with him than I do!" Diane snapped back in annoyance. She leaned over the bar, grabbing two bottles of wine hidden underneath and shoving them into my arms before going back for two glasses. "Let's go Elizabeth. Leave these bozos to boozing alone."

"Looks like it's just you and me buddy," Meliodas said as he too dug beneath the counter, pulling up a bottle of whiskey.

"Just like the good old days~," Ban grinned crookedly in Diane's direction.

She gave them both a big middle finger before grasping my hand and dragging me towards the stairs.

"Let us know if you guys decide to have a pillow fight in your nighties!" Meliodas called after us jovially. His normal spirit seemed to have returned fully now.

"If that happens I think we'd have to give King that break," Ban's sing song voice carried over to us.

"Good point," Meliodas hummed thoughtfully. "Nevermind. Hold off on those pillow fights!"

"Fuck you guys!" Diane yelled over the railing, flicking them off once again before we disappeared up the stairs to her room. I heard their laughter just before Diane slammed the door shut behind us.

She gestured towards the bed as she began to twist open a bottle of wine. Screw topped, a girl's best friend. "Okay, first," Daine took the glasses from me and poured. "A toast!" She handed one back.

"A toast?" I knitted my brows together.

"Yep. A night with no men. Just us girls."

 _She must be in a really bad mood,_ I couldn't help but think. Our glasses clinked together and we took a long drink. A crisp white wine. It reminded me of the party. I quickly shook my head to dispel that image.

The next thing I know, something's being thrown in my face. I pull it away and gasp, dragging it back to my chest. "D-Diane?! What is this?"

"A nightie of course!" She giggled as she turned her back to me and began to undress.

I spun around, giving her a sense of privacy. Though, it probably didn't really matter. Diane didn't seem to have much shame. "Why on earth do I need this?"

"You can't have a sleepover without cute pajamas, duh." She insisted like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"I am _not_ wearing this," I frowned deeply at the silk material in my hands.

It was light pink, and longer than I thought it would be, reaching to at least my mid thigh. Of course it was low cut, but thank god it at least had sleeves. I half wondered if Diane even owned anything that didn't showcase her chest.

"Ahh, come on!" She pleaded and I peeked over my shoulder to see her walking around in a pale orange nightie. Hers was a bit more risque than mine. Thinner straps, lace lining the sweetheart neckline and almost two inches shorter than the one she gave me. "If it's too modest, I could get you something else!" She teased with a wink.

"No!" I quickly shook my head. I glanced down at the article of clothing. _It could be worse._ "Fine. Turn around."

Diane rolled her eyes but complied with my desire. Swiftly I pull off the pink top of my uniform and slip the nightie over my head. I shimmy my skirt down my legs and put it aside in a pile.

"Man, you change fast!"

"Diane?!" I cried, heat flashing to my cheeks as I spun around to face her.

She shrugged, unbothered as she walked towards her glass near me on the nightstand. "What, not like you have anything I don't." She paused in front of me. "Except bigger boobs." She poked my chest.

I squealed and she laughed.

"Alright, so, Elizabeth," she started as she plopped herself down on the bed. I followed her cautiously, half worried about being attacked and the rest worried I'd trip amongst all the clothing she had scattered across her bedroom floor. "Let's talk."

"About?" I made a face at her as I sat on the bed, careful not to spill my glass. There was a dangerous gleam in those amethyst eyes. I was already regretting agreeing to this. _As if wearing a nightie wasn't bad enough…_ I took a drink.

A slow smirk spread across her lips. "Boys of course!"

My hand flew to cover my mouth in an attempt to keep the wine inside. Once I composed myself enough, I wiped my hand on my pajamas and glared at Diane. "Are you kidding? Aren't we a bit old for that?"

To my dismay, her smirk only grew. "Speak for yourself, Princess. I'm plenty young."

"Given your usual topics of choice, I'm not sure I can believe that," I retorted with a roll of my eyes.

She laughed and I was thankful she didn't take it in a bad way. "I'm just comfortable with who I am, that's all."

"I'm not sure I could ever be as comfortable as you."

"It did take some getting use to," she took a long drink.

The gears in my head were turning. What would she be doing that got her used to displaying so much skin? As if reading my mind she shook her head, stopping me from saying anything.

Her eyes flickered away from mine as she said, "Ah… I used to be a dancer."

My eyes widened.

"Oh, not like that kind!" She laughed at my surprised expression. "I mean like, legitimately. I was a ballet dancer back in high school. A really good one." A wistful smile overtook her features. "I loved it, thought I'd make a career out of it someday."

"You don't dance anymore?"

She snorted. "Hell no! It's been years since the last time I _really_ did."

I bit the inside of my lip. "When did you stop?"

Her expression shifted, the wistful smile morphing into something I'd never seen on Diane before now, nor did I ever think I would given her bubbly personality. Sadness. "The summer before I was suppose to go to college… That's when my mom… passed." She informed me quietly.

Regret hit me like a brick house, knocking the air from my lungs. "Oh my god, I'm… I'm so sorry, Diane."

"It's…. Fine," she took a long drink, finishing off her glass and pouring herself another. "I mean... It isn't but…" She gave me a soft smile. "I have a new family now and… I wouldn't change that for anything."

A new family? Did that mean…

"You don't have any living relatives?"

She shrugged, the dismal air that had surrounded her dissipating into one I was more familiar with. "Not that I know of and no one ever reached out to me after Mom passed so it's just me and the bozos living here. Those boys downstairs are all I have."

I bit my lip as her words remind me of a conversation I had with Meliodas and King when we first started our meetings. _The four of us don't have anywhere else to go._ Was that how they all worked so well? Because it's this or nothing for them?

"Meliodas and Ban are like annoying big brothers," she continued with a smile. "They look out for me - most of the time."

Despite myself a grin started to tug at my lips. "And King?" I prodded.

"Ah," a light flush formed on her features. "King's… he's…." Her cheeks darkened with each word. "I don't know!" She tossed her hands up in frustration.

I laughed, taking a drink before asking, "are you in love with him Diane?"

"I… might be," she admitted with a heavy sigh as she laid down on the bed to stare at the ceiling. "Can't really say for sure. I've never felt like this with anyone else."

"Do you think King loves you?"

She surprised me with a giggle. "Probably, but if I can't tell what this feeling is, he definitely can't!"

"What do you mean?" I tilted my head curiously.

"Let's just say," she sat up and gave me a sly smirk, "I have more experience than he does." She winked.

I almost snorted wine out my nose. "Well that seems fairly obvious, even to me," my lips moved before I could stop them.

Diane stared at me wide eyed

"O-oh I mean-" I couldn't even form a sentence. My hand covered my mouth, hoping to keep any other remarks to myself.

"Obvious huh?" She looked thoughtful before bursting out in a fit of giggles. "I guess it kinda is, isn't it?"

A relieved sigh left me. I thought for sure she was going to be offended and kick me out. "King's just a little timid around you compared to how you act around him, that's all."

"It's kinda like that with you and the boss."

I almost choked on my next sip, "What?!"

"I mean," a cheshire grin formed on her lips. "That anytime the boss tries putting the moves on you, you get all flustered, just like King does when I flirt with him."

"No Diane. Just no." This girl was delusional. There was no way there was anything going on between me and Meliodas.

She laughed again, as if expecting my reaction. "No worries Elizabeth, I won't tell." She teased me with a wink and a finger over her lips. I rolled my eyes.

"He's a good person." She continued, "King saved me, but the Boss… he let me stay here, gave me a job." Diane locked her eyes with me driving home the same point she'd almost a week ago. "We're not bad people."

I found her words much more believable this time as they hung in the air between us.

I wanted to believe her. Every bit of me did. Even _I_ knew that good people did bad things for the right reasons sometimes… but just because they thought what they were doing was right, didn't mean I could just… look the other way.

Even though there was a part of me that wanted to do just that. Especially in Diane's case.

"I don't know…" I mumbled, without thinking. Maybe the wine was getting to me. "You, maybe. I still haven't made my mind up about the others." I admit, a little too openly and received a grin from Diane.

"Give it time." She encouraged with a wink. Confident that she could sway me.

We changed the subject not long after that. Resorting to getting to know each other through talk of favorites and hobbies - finishing off both bottles of wine along the way.

A knock came at the door a few hours later just as we were about to call it a night.

"You two still up?"

Diane scowled. "Go away, Meliodas! Girls only."

He sighed heavily on the other side. "Diane… I just wanted too…"

A soft smile crossed Diane's features. "I know… But I don't want to hear it tonight. Alright?"

I looked between her and the door, surprised by the sound of guilt in the blonde's voice. More than surprised. But, given Diane's description of the man earlier - I guess I shouldn't have been. He was like a big brother to her.

"Yeah…" there was a silence for awhile and I thought he had left when he spoke again, "tomorrow then."

Diane waited a heartbeat listening to the silence that followed. Satisfied, she turned off the light.

She cuddled up into the blanket, wishing me sweet dreams.

And I briefly wondered if I would be able to sleep.

* * *

Dom: *Peers up slowly through thick grass. The Dom in her natural habitat as she stalks her prey* Oh you are sooooo mine...

Luv: *casually walking around the park, searching for something* Ah! There's one! *starts running towards Dom's prey*

Dom: *Announcer Gasp! Another is encroaching on the Dom's territory. If the Dom wants the catch, she will have to act. The Dom leaps into action, sprinting out from her hiding spot and chasing after her target* IT'S MINE!

Luv: *eyes go wide as she sees Dom heading for the same objective and quickly picks up speed* No way! You won't beat me! I'm totally going to win this year!

Dom: *The enemy is closing in on the Dom's prey, but this majestic creature has speed on her side. But what's this? The Dom trips over her own feet and has fallen short of reaching her prize!* DAMN THESE SHOES! *She looks up longingly as the Luv claims the prize*

Luv: Ah ha! I got it! The last one! *holds up her prize in victory*

Dom: *Pouts from her place on the ground* That was my egg. Egg stealer.

Luv: *beams brightly* Ah don't be like that! I told you that you had to be quick in this hunt! Speeds before stealth in this case!

Dom: Why do bunnies hide eggs anyways? That seems counterproductive, given we're encouraged to find them… *Dom examines the eggs intently before opening one and smiling* OH LOOK! Our preview is in this one! *Reads the slip of paper* Next time on Don't Trust Me: What's a slumber party without a little mischief? Perhaps, Elizabeth will get more than she bargained for when agreeing to sleeping over with Diane. What kinds of misunderstandings could _possibly_ be had the next morning?

Luv: *starts cracking open her own plastic eggs* Oh! A piece a candy! *opens another* Oh, a piece of candy! *continues eating everything she finds inside the eggs*

Dom: Who are you? James Woods? *Sighs, opening another of her own* Oh! A piece of candy!

Luv: Happy Easter everyone!


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

Talking in the hallway pulled me out of my near slumber. I had started to drift while pondering everything Diane had told me, but now, I was awake.

I strained my hearing but couldn't quite make out who was speaking. My eyes shifted to Diane, making sure she was still sleeping before slipping soundlessly out of the bed, creeping toward the door and pressing my ear against it. The voices were easy to make out now.

Meliodas and King.

"So, that's it, huh?" Meliodas stated.

"Yeah," King responded. A yawn quickly followed his reply. "If this isn't exactly what you need, then it was never there to begin with. I had to do quite a bit of piecemealing to get this much. Honestly, I hadn't thought the code would be so extensive given who was initiating it."

 _Code?_ My lips pursed together at the word. Meliodas lead me to believe that Gowther was their hacker. If that was true, why would he have King work on something involving code? I shook my head of the thought. That couldn't be right. The leader of the Sins had just berated King this morning over not getting through the recordings fast enough. He couldn't have possibly had anytime to look over code. Perhaps he meant something else.

I could hear Meliodas hum, obviously thinking over King's words. "Unsettling, but not all that surprising. Thanks."

King grunted in response. "I'm going to bed now." The shuffling of feet followed his words.

"Probably wanna sleep in your own room tonight," Meliodas advised.

"Why?"

"Diane was lonely, so she invited Elizabeth for a sleepover."

My eyes widened as I realized just where King had been heading.

"You're kidding?" The ginger responded, not believing him.

I already knew where this was going. As fast as I could without making a sound, I slipped back in beside Diane. My body faced the door and I squeezed my eyes tightly shut.

"Go on and take a look." Meliodas prompted. His voice was closer know. The two of them must be right outside the door.

Light spilled in from the hallway. I rolled away from it and right into Diane. The girl hummed, her arm wrapping around my waist and sighing. It took all I had in me not to push her away in shock. If the door wasn't opened, I would have.

"Damnit," I heard King hiss from the doorway. "You weren't lying."

"Why would I lie about two beautiful women sleeping together?"

"... point taken."

Diane began to kick the covers off and I wanted to cry. I knew I shouldn't have let her talk me into sleeping in this damn nightie. There's a low whistle by the door. My face felt as if it were on fire. There was no way that the both of them weren't getting a view of Diane and I's legs.

"Are you… kidding me right now?" King took a shaky breath. "Why in the _hell_ are they wearing that?"

"I dunno," Meliodas responded in a cheery tone. "I did make the comment about them wearing nighties and having pillow fights and coming to get us. But I really didn't think they'd take it to heart."

"Wait, what?" King's voice seemed a pitch higher than normal. "They had a pillow fight and you guys didn't tell me?!" I heard the rustling of fabric and imagined King shaking Meliodas.

"If they did, they didn't tell us either." The sound stopped and then the blonde spoke again. "Ban did make the comment we'd have to tell you and then you'd have to stop working soooo… I may have told them to hold off." Meliodas gave him an awkward chuckle. "But hey, at least they did the nightie part!"

"... I hate you."

"No you don't."

"No, I think I really mean it this time."

"Ah, come on! Look at the great view we're getting! How can you be mad at me?"

"Hey!" Feet slid across the floor. "You stop looking."

"What? You can look, but I can't?" Meliodas argued and I could hear the mirth in his tone. "That hardly seems fair King."

"One of them is _my_ girlfriend." King promptly reminded him. "I get to look. You don't."

"That's fine. I was only looking at Elizabeth anyways."

"You shouldn't be looking at her either!"

"Again, but you can?"

"I-I'm not!"

"Please," Meliodas scoffed, "they're wrapped around each other, you can't look at one without looking at the other."

"Meliodas, I'm telling you-"

"Shut up!" Diane sprung up, glaring daggers at the men frozen in the doorway. "Some of us are trying to sleep here!"

"Sorry." They both apologized and I took the time to chance a glance at them. King appeared to be in the middle of trying to push Meliodas down the hall. The blonde remained unmoveable, hands casually in his pockets as he tilted his head watching us.

Green eyes meet mine and I quickly shut them tight. I felt Diane get off the bed and couldn't help but look to see what she was doing. She strutted up to the door, King's eyes on Diane and Meliodas… still looking at me. There's a spark in his eyes that was far too close to something I've seen before. I groaned, pulling the blanket all the way up to my eyes in an attempt to hide enough and still see what's going on.

"Uh, D-Diane…?" King sounded like he was choking.

"Goodnight, boys."

She slammed the door in their faces.

"Wait!" King knocked loudly. "What did I do?!"

"Guilt by association," Meliodas answered and I could just imagine him shrugging his shoulders. Not at all bothered that his friend got lumped together with him. "She's been pissy all night."

"Go away Meliodas, before I open this door and kick your ass outside and lock you out!" Diane warned.

"Nice try. We don't lock the doors."

"Do we even _have_ locks?" King pondered out loud. "I honestly can't recall."

"I think so," Meliodas responded with a contemplative hum. "Can't remember the last time I actually had to use them, though. Message got around pretty fast not to even bother stepping into this place after two." There's a snap of fingers. "Ah, remember that guy with the stupid skimask who tried stealing the register?"

"Yeah… wait, didn't you and Ban chase him down and kick his ass?" King said slowly, as if trying to think back on the event. "Oh god… that's the guy who-"

"Yep!" Meliodas cut him off with a snort.

"And when Ban caught up to him, he got-," I could hear King start snickering on the other side of the door.

Meliodas was laughing too now. "Oh yeah, I almost forgot about that!"

I sat up in bed and gave Diane a curious stare. She rolled her eyes and slammed her fist against the door. "Go have your boring recollections somewhere else guys."

"Yes, _mom_ ," the blonde responded. I could just imagine him rolling his eyes and the smirk on his lips.

"Ah, but Diane… I, uh…" King's voice trailed off.

Affection overtook the burnette's features as she opened the door. Only King stood there now, Meliodas must have went back to his room. Diane placed a hand on her boyfriend's cheek and gave him a quick kiss. "Goodnight, King," she said before kissing him again.

"G'night, Diane," he mumbled and disappeared down the hall.

Diane shut the door slowly, letting out a heavy sigh. She had a soft smile on her face as she made her way back to bed. Once she crawled back under the blankets, I laid down as well.

"Well that was… eventful," I couldn't help but comment.

Her soft smile was replaced by devious smirk. "Totally worth it."

"Wait…" I glared accusingly at Diane. She couldn't possibly be insinuating what I _thought_ she was. "You were awake?!"

She shrugged, a playful smile pulling at her lips. "Maybe."

"How long?"

"Oh, just since you slipped out of bed to go try and eavesdrop."

My mouth dropped open as my cheeks flushed. We just stared at each other for a few seconds as I replayed the past ten minutes. "So, you heard them… the whole time? When they were standing in the doorway even?" A horrified thought struck me. "You kicked off the blankets on purpose!"

She hummed, obviously fighting back laughter. "Would you believe me if I said no?"

"No!"

Diane laughed and I scowled at her. I felt oddly torn between breaking down and laughing right along with her. Or strangling her for willingly putting us on display. Instead of doing either, I just shook my head at her.

"What?" She beamed brightly. "It's fun messing with them every once in awhile."

I had to roll away from her so she couldn't see my smile at her admission. Now that the moment had passed. She was right. It was kind of fun. I actually had a lot of fun with Diane tonight.

And that worried me. More than I was willing to admit.

* * *

When I awoke the next morning, I slipped out of bed, hoping I wouldn't wake Diane again. I went to my room to get ready for the day. By the time I made it downstairs, I noticed one lone occupant. King. Again. I frowned, glancing around the room as I went to join him at the bar.

"Just us again?"

King's gaze flickered to mine for only a second before looking away anxiously. "Uh, no. Boss should be down here soon. Not sure what's taking him." Per the normal routine, he slid me a cup. "Coffee?"

"Yes, thank you," I smiled at him as I took the open seat beside him. "Diane kept me up later then I thought we would be." My lips formed a tight line as I thought back to last night. "You were up late."

He groaned, scrunching up his features in disgust. "A lot later than I wanted to be. Trust me."

"The recordings?" I broached, even though I knew that had to be the answer. He nodded. "Why did they take so long?"

King studied me for a moment before letting out a heavy sigh. "The code was far more elaborate than I gave them credit for being able to create."

"Code?" There was that damn phrase again. He'd used it last night too.

"Ya, you know," he gestured around with his hands. "An encrypted message. Like a riddle, or a puzzle. Ugh," he dug his hands into his hair with another frustrated groan. "Took me forever to figure out what the hell cipher they were using but I finally cracked it and, of course, felt like an idiot once I did."

"You... figured out a cipher without any indication of what the actual key was?"

He shrugged. "Done it before. It's easier when you know the person who created it. This one, I didn't." He pulled a face again, obviously disappointed with his work on it. While I just stared at him.

I always hated riddles and hidden meanings. I didn't have time for people who wanted to hide things and believed that if someone had to talk in code, they were probably guilty of something. Decoding was something I had little patience for. The fact that King spent _hours_ to figure out recordings, not even having the physical aid of it being written out, just blew me away.

"S-stop looking at me like that," King shifted anxiously in his chair, his ears red. "It's really not that impressive."

"Are you kidding? Do you think anyone else would have been able to do that?" He couldn't have even been working at his full capacity given how little sleep he'd been getting these past few nights. How could he be so dismissive of something he worked so long on?

"Maybe," he shrugged, still refusing to meet my gaze. He almost seemed to be trying to get away from me now. "Gowther, probably could have."

"But you said you knowing the person made it easier," I pointed out his own words. "Gowther can't do motives." Meliodas' words from our first meeting between the three of us in the basement comes to mind.

"Did you and Diane have fun last night?" He threw me by completely changed the topic, staring intently at the liquid in his cup.

I frowned but answered him anyway. "I think so."

"Glad to hear it," he gave me a soft smile. "I'm sure Diane really appreciated it, so… thanks... For doing that… I know it isn't in your job description and that you probably had your own reasons for accepting but..." he shook his head, stopping himself from continuing. "Anyway, thanks. She's usually stuck with us three guys so having you here is a good change of pace for her."

Again, he's throwing me for a loop. I should find offense in his words. That he's implying that I didn't enjoy my time with Diane. That I wouldn't have hung out with her without some ulterior motive. And yet I can't find the normal bite I should have. Is it because, despite the lack of tack in his words, he's at least being sincere?

"It really wasn't a big deal. It was fun," I mumbled. Now it was me who couldn't meet his gaze. "Sorry I took your spot last night," I felt the weird need to apologize.

"It's fine," King waved off my concern. "Honestly if Meliodas hadn't been there, I may have just crawled in. But… uh," a blush threatened to overtake his face. "I didn't want to give her any ideas."

"Ideas?" He gave me a dubious glance, as if trying to figure out if I was messing with him or not. And then it hit me. "OH! Oh gosh, no, that would have been bad."

He shook his head. "Plus, at first, the only room was between the two of you. That would have been weird and possibly have gotten me murdered."

Despite the heat on my cheeks, I couldn't help but laugh. "Diane would not murder you for sleeping in between us, King." He'd know that if he would have seen the tender expression on her face after they said goodnight.

"You heard what she said the other day," he quirked a brow at me but I can see he's fighting back a smile. Obviously he's relieved that I'm taking his comments so well. "Body parts would be lost."

"Wasn't that only if she wasn't there?"

"Good memory, Elizabeth." A new voice joined us. Diane.

We turned around and found, to our horror, Meliodas standing next to her. The man wearing a large grin. I glanced at King and found him mouthing out, _shit._ I had to agree.

"Whatever could they be talking about, Di?" Meliodas quirked a curious brow at her.

"Oh, just that the only way King and Elizabeth are allowed to do anything is if I'm there. Otherwise, ya know," she shrugged nonchalantly, "body parts will be lost."

"King and Elizabeth? Don't think so."

The two made their way to the bar. King and I watching in silent horror. "Are you kidding? They get along so well! Look at them," she smiled sweetly at us. "Chatting about our threesome over coffee."

"Diane, that's not what-" King attempted to clarify the discussion. That we had actually been talking about last night's sleepover.

"You have King," Meliodas argued with Diane, cutting off the ginger's explanation. "What do you need Elizabeth for? Switching teams?"

"Oh no, I'm keeping both." Diane beamed brightly. King sunk in his seat next to me and I fought the urge to do the same.

"Well that's a bit selfish, don't you think?"

"Not at all. King and I are the ones she's closest to here. Of course we'd be her first choice." The brunette shrugged.

Meliodas snorted. "You, maybe. But I doubt King's made her list." He sent me a sly smirk that had me sinking in my chair just like King. I didn't even want to give a thought to where exactly the ginger was or wasn't on my list. Not that I had one.

Diane leaned over the counter with a challenging smile. "You shouldn't count him out so easily. King's got a nerdy charm about him that draws a girl in. He's good looking, easy to talk to and don't even get me started on -"

"D-Diane!" King sounded like he was being strangled.

"What?" She turned to him with innocent eyes. Even I could tell it was an act. "I'm giving you compliments!"

The ginger dropped his face into his hands, hiding his extremely red face. "Why?" He exasperated.

A smirk danced across her lips as her eyes flickered between King and I. "Well, I can't speak of the Boss's expertise in this field, but I _can_ speak to yours. Figured Elizabeth should know before she makes her decision." She winked at me and I felt myself flushing.

"Hmm," Meliodas hummed thoughtfully and I snuck a peek at him. His green eyes were lit with amusement. The small uptick to his lips far more distracting than it should have been.

"Plus, picking King comes with me," Diane gestured down her body. "We could have _lots_ of fun together." She purred leaning in close to me.

"I -uh, I don't…" Words were failing me.

"Why is this even a conversation right now?" King dropped his hands and intervened in an attempt to help me gather my thoughts.

"You brought it up." They both respond without missing a beat. The Sin of Sloth slumped against the counter, mumbling curses under his breath.

"Well, if it was you and Elizabeth, I don't think I'd say no to that." Meliodas grinned crookedly.

"Too bad the offer isn't on the table for you Boss," Diane stuck her tongue out at him.

King began to move next to me, reaching for the pot of coffee. He grabbed it and his mug. Catching my curious gaze, he tilted his head towards the basement door. I gave him a subtle nod. Slowly we slid out of our seats.

"Why isn't it?" The blonde crossed his arms in front of his chest like a petulant child.

"Because I'm not dating you. King is the only guy this would work with." Diane's comment had both King and I flushing as we continued to silently walk backwards to our destination.

"That's stupid. You used to like me." Meliodas pointed out. The statement had me pausing, glancing at King to get his reaction. A light scowl set across his still pink features.

Diane snorted out a chuckle. "The only one who thinks that's true is probably King. You and Ban both know I only did it to make him jealous." I caught her rolling her eyes.

Now it was King's turn to pause. He looked ready to say something so I nudged him in the ribs. His amber eyes locked with mine as I silently pleaded with him to continue our track to the basement. A contemplative expression passed his features for a second before he nodded. We were just opening the door when the leader of the Sins responded.

"Man, he was so pissed at me when you started doing that," Meliodas chuckled at the reminder. "Guy wouldn't believe that I had absolutely no interest in you."

"Really?" Diane took a seat. "What'd he say?"

"Something about me being a mental bastard and how could I _not_ like you." The blonde's laughter echoed off the walls of the bar.

Diane's giggle joined him. "Aww, he's so sweet."

"He was crazy about you back then already." Meliodas shook his head. "Anyway, you have him so I get Elizabeth when she turns to the darkside." He said spookily with a large grin.

"No way! When the time inevitably comes, she's totally going to be with King and me!"

"You're way too jealous for that to work."

"I think I could share with Elizabeth."

King shut the door, face looking ready to explode. I couldn't say mine was far off. We walked the rest of the way to the room without another word. He collapsed in his normal chair and I followed suit.

"How…" I started after a few minutes of silence. "How does this always happen?" I grumbled over the lip of my mug.

"I'm sorry. Today was my fault," King huffed out a heavy sigh. "Shouldn't have even brought it up."

"Ah, I really didn't help," I shook my head, unwilling to let him fully take the blame. He always seemed to do that. "I kept it going by reminding you that body parts would only be lost if she wasn't involved."

"Ya know, it wouldn't be so bad if it had just been Diane. I can manage her." The ginger admitted as he began gathering papers. "The boss though… how should I put this…"

"Just come right out and say it," I smirked as I folded my hands on the table, "Meliodas can be an ass."

He snapped his fingers with a wide grin. "That's it!"

We shared a laugh for a few minutes before getting to work.

"Hey you two!" Meliodas greeted cheerily as he stepped into the room. "Better stop sneaking off together or you're gunna give me and Diane the wrong idea!"

"I don't care if I give you the wrong idea," I immediately rebutted. To my ire, his grin only grew. "Besides, we were just going over a few more things."

"Which _you_ said we should do," King swiftly pointed out after my statement.

"Did I?" Meliodas tilted his head in false innocence. "I think we'll put a hold on the information exchange today."

"Not much of an exchange when I'm the one doing all the talking," the ginger grumbled resting his chin in his open palm, elbow propped up on the table.

I pursed my lips at him, readying a response.

"I didn't mean it in a bad way," King quickly rectified in that weird detached tone he seemed to have whenever we were down here discussing the case. "Just that, well, so far you haven't had anything to add."

My brows furrowed. He was right. This whole thing had been them telling _me_ information. I only felt guilty about my lack of knowledge for a few seconds. I was the cop. They were the criminals. They were supposed to be the ones giving me information. I didn't owe them anything.

"Anyway, why don't you head upstairs, Elizabeth? I gotta talk to King about something."

I stared at him, weighing out just what he would have to say. An annoying feeling swirled in the pit of my stomach. Something of the sensation must have showed through on my features as Meliodas added;

"I'm not going to hurt him for hitting on you or anything, Princess. No worries," Meliodas teased with a crooked grin.

"I do _not_ hit on her," King defended himself. "Can I remind you again? The reason we spend so much time together is because of you."

"Well if you weren't the only one besides myself that knew the ins and outs of this whole operation, I wouldn't have to."

"Is that suppose to be an argument?" King scowled at him as he stood. "It's not my fault."

"You did throw yourself into all this stuff."

"You needed me too. You and Ban were completely lost without my insight."

"Maybe."

"Ugh," King collapsed back into his chair. "Whatever. I don't care. What do you want?"

"Elizabeth, head upstairs."

"Why?" I find myself extremely curious to what the blonde had to say. He didn't respond, just staring at King. The ginger scowled at him, as if he already knew what this was going to be about. Realizing neither was going to make a move until I left, I huffed. "Fine."

I opened the door and shut it loudly behind me. My feet made for the stairs and I walked a few of them before turning around and quietly going back to the door.

Meliodas was crazy if he thought he could keep me out of the loop that easy.

* * *

Luv: *Groans staring at the screen of her computer* Dom! Give me something funny to write about. I can't think! *sips more wine and eats her ice cream as if that will solve all the problems*

Dom: *Lowers her bowl of pho with a raised brow* Woah, woah - that's not in my contract. _You're_ the funny one, remember? I'm here to make awkward sexual jokes and torture the readers.

Luv: What? Are you sure? *pulls out the contract from almost a year ago* There's no way that I'm the funny one- oh…. Okay… apparently I'm supposed to be the funny and… cute innocent one? *frowns and looks at Dom* What does that even mean?

Dom: HA! Cute and Innocent… Who the hell wrote these contracts? *Scans over a clause in her own contract that states that she must be classy - Whatever the hell that means*

Luv: Yeah! Who the- *pauses* Wait, what's that supposed to mean? I'm totally adorable! *begins to pout*

Dom: And I'm obviously the sadistic one, so I guess they're not far off. *Shrugs, pulling out her obligatory "classy" boa and throwing it over her shoulder* This is what they meant by classy, right?

Luv: Um… think so? Being classy seems so much easier… Wait I got another one here… *makes a face at the contract* Apparently since my name is Luv I'm… obligated to love? Uh… okay… Okay moving past the possible creep factor there… Next Time on Don't Trust Me: Elizabeth listens in on a conversation that leads her into a major choice - wig or dye. What possible clues did King discover in breaking the code, and why does it require a waiter's suit?

Dom: *Continues scrolling through her own contract then stops with a grin* Yeah… you don't want to know what they say about my name.

Luv:... nope. *shakes head slowly* Nope I don't. Huh, what do ya know, being the innocent one isn't so tough!

Dom: See everyone in the next chapter!


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

"Alright," King spoke after a few seconds. "What's so important you're calling off the information exchange today?"

"I need a favor."

"Is this about what I found on the recordings?"

There's a silence. I assumed Meliodas responded with a shake of his head or nod.

A heavy sigh and then King spoke again, "I told you that we shouldn't go out anymore. Even sending us last time was too risky."

"I know, but it makes more sense for it to be you than me, doesn't it? Things have cooled since then. I'm sure you two could slip in unnoticed compared to us." Meliodas responded. I heard a creak, he must have sat down.

"You mean we could blend in better."

"You've always had a knack for this kind of thing."

"Not sure that's what I'd call it," King said lowly. There was silence, as if King was weighing his next words, "Fine. We'll do it. But… we should really have some back up this time, just in case."

"Already ahead of ya," Meliodas replied and I could practically hear his grin.

"Good. It'd be a real pain if we were caught tonight."

"I have faith in your acting skills."

"Yeah, cause that means a whole lot," King clipped sarcastically.

Meliodas laughed. "It should! This is a very important mission and I'm letting you take the lead."

"I'd rather you didn't."

"Stop worrying so much. It'll be fine!" I heard a thump and wondered if Meliodas just slapped King's back.

"You always say that," I could barely hear King grumble. He raised his voice. "So, assuming everyone is involved this time. What was the point of sending Princess out?"

"Wanted to run it by you first. Didn't need you holding back on your thoughts."

"I don't do that. And you know she's been listening the whole time, right?"

I stiffened.

"Course I do!" Meliodas chirped merrily.

"So sending her away was pointless?"

"Na, I like letting her think she's sneaky." He laughed and I stomped away. The last thing I heard was, "go get some more sleep. You're gunna need to be well rested for everything to work out tonight."

Despite the lack of meeting in the basement, the day was fairly normal after that. When Meliodas and King came to the main floor, ten minutes after me, King went right upstairs. I assumed he was going back to bed. The rest of us took care of the bar. It wasn't very busy, but I suppose that was to be expected given it was Friday afternoon. Ban had disappeared at one point for almost two hours. I had attempted to ask Meliodas more about what the rest of us would be doing tonight and where Ban had gone.

He'd just smiled at me lazily and said, "shoulda listened a little longer." After getting the same response at various points of the day, I had given up.

The dinner rush was just finishing as I walked up to the bar. I checked a clock, wondering just when King and Diane would be leaving and where exactly they were going.

"I hate these damn things," someone grumbled behind me. I turned around and was surprised to see King in a dark grey suit. He tugged anxiously at his navy tie, loosening it and straightening it and repeating the process. When he felt my gaze still on him his eyes flickered up. "What?"

"You're wearing a suit."

"Uh… yeah…?" He quirked a brow.

I flushed as I realized how stupid I must sound. "S-sorry, I just. I'm caught off guard is all." I had never seen King in anything besides his oversized shirts and jacket. Seeing him in something so well fitted was… weird. He no longer looked like the nerdy member of the sins. He looked older. Like a real businessman.

"Has Boss still not told you the plan for tonight?" King's brows knitted together.

His question got my mind back on right. "No," I scowled deeply. "Thinks it's funny, I'm pretty sure. Said I should have stayed outside the door longer." My eyes found the man behind the bar, distracted by a customer. "What is the plan?"

"Diane and I are going to a charity event."

My eyes widened at that. "Really?" Well, that explained the suit. "Why?" I leaned in closer so I could lower my voice. "Because of the recordings?"

He nodded. "Going to attempt speaking with… _her_ ," he answered vaguely and I immediately knew who he meant.

The mayor's wife.

"Who was she talking to anyways?" I asked realizing that I didn't actually know. In all the conversations I had overheard between him and Meliodas since last night, that information was never actually exchanged.

King finally stopped fiddling with his tie long enough to give me a curious stare. His eyes swept over the bar before sighing heavily. "Suppose we didn't actually get to discuss that this morning, huh?"

"No." I scowled immediately at the reminder. "Meliodas so kindly interrupted us before then."

He let out a soft huff of air at my comment. "That he did." The ginger agreed with a nod of his head, a small quirk to his lips. "Well, from what I gathered, the person Melascula was speaking to in the recordings is the one she was having an affair with."

"Oh?" I settled into a bar stool to let my tired feet rest. "What makes you say that?"

"She called him by a pet name. Love."

My lips pursed at the odd title.

"She never actually used his name. Just that damn pet name." King sighed heavily and slid into the seat next to me. He barely stopped himself from running a hand through his now styled hair. "I'm positive he's involved. Unfortunately, the recordings never really picked up the guy's voice."

A look of frustration crossed his features as he relayed the information.

"Tonight is about getting more info on him then?" I said the words slowly, testing out the weight of them. It had to be that. They had little else to go on from the sounds of it.

King simply nodded, not responding as he seemed to mull over something.

"So he's sending you two? Isn't that… risky?" I wonder why Meliodas wouldn't just have the two of us go again. The two of us had to be more adapt for subtle questioning than King and Diane.

"Less of a risk than you and him going, given your run in at their home," King pointed out, leaning against the bar. "I suppose Diane and I have built up a bit of a… rapport that may give us an in."

"How?" I had thought that Meliodas said they'd only been to a few parties. How did they get an _in_ within such a small time frame?

"Diane mostly," he shrugged.

"Oh come on King! I'm just the eye candy at these things! You're the one people like talking to."

We both turned down towards the steps, Diane heading our way. Eye candy indeed. I don't know how Diane ever thought I gave her a run for her money in any dress. She was downright gorgeous. She wore a deep red trumpet dress with off the shoulder sleeves and a sweetheart neckline. Just like the one I had worn, this one had a slit up to her mid thigh and sequins everywhere. Her hair up in an elegant bun. When she leaned in and planted a kiss on the stunned King, I saw she had a small train with ruffles.

"Don't listen to him Princess," Diane turned to me with a smile. "He doesn't give himself nearly enough credit. The reason we know anyone there is because of his little story."

"T-That's not true," King struggled. "They talked to us because of you. You aren't just a pretty face, Diane." He insisted with a determined scowl. "Your whole persona draws people in."

"Hmm," she hummed and then shrugged. "Maybe, but you're the one who kept them interested enough to have a whole conversation with. King's quite the storyteller." She told me with a secretive wink.

I blinked, looking back and forth between the two, trying to follow the conversation with the little amount of details they were giving. "Um… what kind of story?"

King flushed and Diane beamed eagerly. "Meet Mr. and Mrs. Jones. Technical mogul extraordinar! Well, King is anyways. I mean, Mr. Henry Jones. I'm his lovely wife, Dorothy."

My jaw dropped despite myself. "What?" How did these two manage to pull off being a married couple?

"Surprised?" Diane giggled, looping her arm through Kings. I nodded. "I don't blame you. I almost blew our cover when I heard King say it!"

"I said I was sorry," King grumbled, ears a bright red. "It was… necessary."

The burnette winked at me and I felt the sudden urge to join in on her teasing. "Really? Meliodas didn't have us married."

The sharply dressed man glared at me. "Yes. It was. Only way to keep some jackass' hands off her."

I blinked in surprise at the man's sharp words. Diane merely laughed.

"What he means is, that some guys were taking a little too much interest in me and him saying we were married was easier than maiming them," the brunette was all too happy to explain.

"But… you guys weren't together then, I thought?"

"We weren't," King mumbled, unable to look at either of us.

 _I had feelings for Diane long before we started dating,_ his words came back to me. "Oh." I said simply, feeling like I just put my foot in my mouth.

"King's a bit overprotective," Diane shook her head fondly. Obviously she didn't care about the sudden lack of conversation from us. She leaned forward to mock whisper, a hand hiding her lips from her boyfriend as she said, "And maybe a little bit of the jealous type."

"That's real funny coming from you Di," Ban snorted as he joined our group at the counter. Meliodas right behind him. Diane merely stuck her tongue out at him.

 _Right,_ I thought to myself. _I almost forgot that envy is Diane's supposed sin._

"Looking good you two!" The blonde smiled brightly. "You'll fit in perfect."

"Thanks Boss!" The brunette beamed.

King groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I'm really not looking forward to this."

"I feel like I should be offended by that," Daine pouted slightly at his side. "Why are you so down? We're basically getting a free date night!"

"This isn't a date, Diane. We're working."

She huffed, "Doesn't mean we can't have fun." A slow smile started to spread across her lips as she pressed her body closer to his. "Remember what happened last time?"

The ginger's features lit up like he caught fire. "Y-yes, of course I do! But we-!" He paused lowering his voice from it's sudden shouting, "we will _not_ need to do that again."

Meliodas and Ban began snickering and I looked around the member of the Sins, attempting to figure out just what they were talking about. No luck. But I did notice that the bar was already empty. Strange.

"Tonight will be a little different." The bar owner spoke up, as if he could read my thoughts. "The three of us," Meliodas gestured at himself, Ban and me, "will be working the crowd."

"Working?" I furrowed my brow at him.

He smirked at me. "Yep! As servers!"

He had to be kidding. But his smile didn't waver. I did my best not to shout profanities at the man. How on earth was I supposed to make a believable server at a charity event and, "what if someone recognizes us from last week?"

"You got two choices Princess," Ban spoke up, reaching underneath the bar and setting two small bins on the counter. "Boxed or wig."

"You're kidding, right?" My eyes flicker between his and Meliodas'. Someone touched my hair. I narrowed my eyes at Diane as she played with a strand. "What?" I snapped.

"I'd do a wig, Princess," the Sin of Envy recommended. "The box stuff says it washes out just fine but. Well, let's just say Ban's weird shade comes from using these one too many times." She leaned in closer to whisper. "It use to be white as snow!"

"It's just hair," Ban rolled his eyes grabbing a box. "It grows out and ya just cut the stuff ya don't like."

"Easy for you to say!" Diane shook her head. "It's different for girls! Especially when you have long hair and when it's a unique shade like this!" She held up the strand of my hair for emphasis. I tugged it away and she let go. "Do a wig." The brunette advised once again.

"It's up to you, Ban and I are just gunna color ours." Meliodas interrupted the debate as he grabbed a box and headed to the kitchen with Ban. "We've got about a half hour, so hurry and get changed."

I scowled as the door closed behind them. "If we're working, shouldn't we already be there?"

"Not necessarily," King answered as he walked around behind the bar, clearly looking for something. "With events like these, the staff tend to work in shifts. It's not unusual for some of the workers to show up halfway through an event." He hunched down and I could hear his hand patting against a shelf below the counter. "Besides, it's not like anyone there will pay too terribly much attention to whoever's handing out their booze. As long as they get it, they're content."

His experience almost made it sound like he'd done this kind of thing more than twice.

"Dammit," King cursed as he stood. He patted down his suit and began walking towards the kitchen. "Boss," he called as he pushed the door open. "Where'd you put those damn keys?"

"They're not under the counter?"

"No. I checked there."

There was silence and then, "Ban. Did you take the car out again?"

"Uh, maybe?"

Diane groaned next to me, drawing my attention away from the men in the kitchen. "That idiot." She rolled her eyes. She pulled her teeth between her lip for a second before smiling brightly. "Ah, I know just where to check!" Her heels clicked against the floor as she disappeared into the first room towards the basement.

"I need that car you, moron!" King yelled from the kitchen. "How in the hell can I show up at this event without a mode of transportation?!"

"Take the bus," Ban responded lazily.

"I'm going to kill you."

"Whoa, whoa!" Meliodas interrupted what sounded like the start of a fist fight. "Relax, King, you'll wrinkle your suit. I've got a spare set around here somewhere. We'll find them."

"Got 'em!" Diane's shouted loudly. She held up the keys with a victorious smile spread across her face.

"Diane!" King yelled as he came out of the kitchen with a wide smile. He lifted her up in a hug and spun her around once. "You're a lifesaver!"

A blush spread across her cheeks. "I know," she gave him a shy smile. "Careful when you put me down. These are new shoes."

"Oh, uh, s-sorry," King flushed, setting her gently back on the ground.

"Where'd ya find them?" Meliodas asked as he stepped up to my side.

My breath caught as I took in his appearance. His hair was matted against his head and pitch black. He looked so different. So… wrong. Seeing Meliodas with anything but his bright golden messy hair was going to take some getting use to. When he noticed my eyes on him, he quirked a brow at me.

"Underneath the phone!" The brunette answered, thankfully taking Meliodas' attention away from me. "That's where he's hidden them a couple of times when he's been drinking so I took a guess."

"There better not be any damage to the car, Ban," Meliodas gave his right hand man a wide grin.

Ban shifted anxiously, his hair also was black and matted against his head. "Course there won't be."

For some reason, he didn't sound as sure as he probably meant to.

"Well, we better get going," King said as he took Diane's hand and led them towards the back entrance through the kitchen. "See ya guys there."

"See ya!" Meliodas gave them a half wave.

"Don't forget to wash that stuff out!" Diane called over her shoulder as they disappeared. "Bye!"

Ban snorted, "kinda hard to forget about it."

"Wait," a thought struck me, "what are we going to wear? Aren't there specific uniforms for this kind of thing?"

"Sure is," Meliodas replied with a smile. "Your uniform should already be in your room. Right Ban?"

I shot the taller man a confused look as he nodded. "Is that where you disappeared to earlier?"

"You got it." He pointed a finger gun at me.

My eyes narrowed. "And just how did you procure these uniforms?"

"Found them on the street." He grinned crookedly. "How do you think I found them?"

"I am _not_ wearing stolen merchandise!"

"You ain't got much of a choice if ya wanna work this gig with us," Ban countered smoothly.

I grit my teeth, ready to tell Ban just what I thought about his opinion and methods of… acquiring goods.

"Think of it this way," Meliodas interrupted our possible fist fight, "we aren't getting paid for working so the uniforms are the payment."

"Whatever," I spat as I grabbed a box containing a wig and stomped towards the steps.

When I arrived in my room, a bag was lying on top of my bed. I pulled the zipper down and tentatively touched the simple black vest and white button down. A pair of black pants rested neatly inside as well. I sigh heavily, stripping down and pulling everything on.

I was in for another long night.

* * *

Dom: *Turns a page of a rather hefty book in her hands, entitled "The Science of Funny: How To Fool Everyone Into Thinking You Have Humor & Other Unnecessary Shit."* Hmmm… interesting.

Luv: Hey Dom! *Luv steps out of lake house with drinks and takes up the empty lounge chair next to Dom.* Whatcha got there?

Dom: *Peers over to Luv before closing her book, a contemplative gleam in her eyes* Luv, I have a joke for you.

Luv: Uh… *tries to discreetly see what Dom was reading* … okay.

Dom: *Clears her throat* Why did the - *Peaks into her book for a moment then closes it again* _Chicken_ cross the road?

Luv: *stares blankly at Dom, trying to figure out if she was serious* Uh…. to get to the other side? *glances around, waiting for something ridiculous to happen. Like someone jumping out of the bushes with a chicken to test out Dom's question...*

Dom: No! Wait…*peaks in her book again* Yes. That's… not even funny. What is so funny about a chicken crossing the road?

Luv: Um well… there's some other variations of that are funnier like… um… Why did the rooster cross the road?

Dom: Why? *Looks unconvinced that this joke will be funnier*

Luv: *begins to giggle with a giddy smile.* To cockadoodle dooo something! *busts out into full laughter*

Dom: *Slowly shakes head* See? I told you being funny wasn't in my contract. I'll just give the preview. Next Time on Don't Trust Me: Infiltrating a Charity event to get answers - what could _possibly_ go wrong? Will the sins and Elizabeth get the clues they're looking for, or is this another dead end? One thing's for certain - Elizabeth is about to get a taste of what the sins are _really_ about.

Luv: *wipes a stray tear from her eye* Ah, that was a good one. I should tell jokes every week!

Dom: As long as it isn't some form of farm animal crossing a road, I think we'll be fine.

Luv: Well… *tosses away her 'Cross the Road' joke book* Never mind then. See ya guys next time!


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

My fingers fidgeted uneasily against the seat.

Meliodas drove to the event and Ban rode up front, leaving me alone in the back with my thoughts. The two's idle chatter did little to relieve my nerves.

I shifted the dark wig on my head, hoping it would stay in place for the duration of the event - would someone recognize me? There was a reason Meliodas and I weren't going in ourselves. Would the wwig be enough to fool anyone who'd been at the last party? The sin boss seemed more than convinced it would, otherwise we wouldn't be posing as wait staff.

I wasn't so sure.

I focused on the two in the front seat as much as I could in an attempt to distract myself.

I still couldn't believe they thought this was a good idea.

Having half the Sins and a cop infiltrating a charity event thrown by the mayor's wife? It almost seemed like a suicide mission. We were bound to be caught. Between my clumsiness, Ban's drunkenness and King's sheepishness, we were all but screwed. My only hope rested in Diane's ability to hold conversations and, sadly, Meliodas' ability to make sure we all stayed on task.

Hence my nervousness.

Suddenly, I couldn't focus on the chatter from the front seat any longer - I was lost to my own thoughts as I turned to stare at the city passing my window in a blur of lights and undefinable faces as people made their way around the streets.

" _Well, from what I gathered, the person Melascula was speaking to in the recordings is the one she was having an affair with."_

My conversation with King popped back into my head and I frowned at my own reflection and the unfamiliar short brown locks framing my face.

He seemed so positive that the man the Mayor's wife was speaking to was involved in all of this. Did that mean he had connections to the Commandments? What made him so sure? In my haste to get what info I could on our goal tonight, not once did I think to ask. Surely, there was more to the recordings that would make him think that. Not just anyone would be involved.

Not for the first time did I find myself skeptical of the whole thing. It just seemed so far fetched. A ghost story. But, it was also hard to argue with the evidence I'd seen to back it up - no matter how little evidence there actually was.

I sighed, finding my nerves settled enough that I'd stopped fidgeting. A start. Not enough to convince anyone of anything, but a start.

Just in time too.

"We're here," Meliodas spoke and I pressed close to my window to get a look at the towering hotel we'd begun to circle. It was a real ritzy place. At least a couple hundred a night for a "cheaper" room. Certainly not the kind of place I found myself at very often, if at all.

"Damn rich people…" Ban muttered with a distasteful shake of his head as he too careened to get a look at the building before we drove down into a parking garage. Apparently I wasn't the only one.

Meliodas took each turn of the spiraling turns, taking us further down into the belly of the structure.

"Staff parking is down here, but I'm going to drop you both off and leave the van somewhere inconspicuous." The blonde, who was now sporting jet-black hair said as he came to a stop at a loading dock in the lowest level of the attached hotel parking garage.

"Don't leave it somewhere I can't find it." Ban grumbled as he climbed out of the van first, and I followed suit, pulling open the sliding back door, then shutting it behind me.

I took a breath, eyeing the staff entrance and Ban's retreating form speculatively, mindlessly twirling the ends of the shoulder-length brown hair of my wig. Now wasn't the time for jitters and uncertainty. But I couldn't shake the feeling that we weren't prepared.

"Hey."

I jumped at the voice behind me, turning to see Meliodas resting his arm out of the van's window, "Everything will be fine. Promise." His lip pulled up in a reassuring grin, "Better hurry and catch-up to Ban or he'll leave you behind." He nodded to the man who was waiting impatiently at the entrance door, shooting me a rather irritated scowl.

I had a million questions - why we needed to come pretending as staff? Where was he going? What were we hoping to accomplish? But I could tell this wasn't the time. Instead, I offered Meliodas a half smile in appreciation for the pep talk before running after Ban, following him into the building without another moment's hesitation.

Even this entrance, so far away from what guests would see, had pleasant decor and the smell of cleanliness and hospitality. Like you had to be a certain class just to be able to work here. Training I'm not entirely sure I'd gotten in my time working at the bar.

"Keep your head down and blend in." Ban instructed as we quickly made our way down the service hall. "There's gonna be a ton of people here - as long as you don't do anything to stupid, ya won't run inta' any problems, Got it?"

I nodded without a word, focused on trying to keep up with his long strides.

Right. Head down, blend in. Easy enough.

We walked past others wearing the same uniform as us. All of whom were rushing around, going this way and that - too focused on their own jobs to pay any mind to us as we reached the end of the hall and called the service elevator that would take us to the main floor.

We entered the small cabin, and I felt myself relax as we crossed our first hurdle.

"Hold the door!" Someone shouted, and I cursed to myself as Ban and I were joined by another young waiter who just barely managed to run through the closing doors.

 _Head down, blend in…_

I had distanced myself from Ban in the opposite corner of the elevator, hoping that it wouldn't be too conspicuous. It was better if no one thought we were together, right?

That didn't stop the young man from glancing over his shoulder at me, then at Ban curiously, "Haven't seen you two before." He commented

I swallowed, but Ban chuckled dryly, "Yeah, we're replacements. The company had some last minute call-outs and asked if we could fill in."

The man nodded at his explanation, "It's a big gig. Can't imagine anyone wanting to bail on it."

Ban shrugged, "If I didn't need the dough so bad, I'd be home drinkin'." He chuckled and the other fist-bumped him.

"I know that's right." He agreed, turning his attention to the elevator doors as a bell rang and they slid open to his floor, "Catch ya later," he called, before the doors closed and Ban and I were left alone once more.

A sigh of relief escaped me.

"Ya know~ _freezing up_ ain't _blending in_."

I had nothing to say to my defense - I'm the first to admit, I've never been the best improvisor. The nerves certainly didn't help.

It didn't take long for us to get to our desired floor. The moment the doors slid open, the elevator was filled with the noise and chaos of the servers and cooks rushing back and forth.

"Blend in." Ban offered with a stern look before making his way out to meld into the crowd.

How someone as tall as he was could disappear from sight so fast was beyond me.

 _Blend in. Blend in. You can do this._

I slapped my cheeks, then hurried out of the elevator and into the crowd.

 _Standing in the middle of the hall isn't blending in…_ I could almost feel Ban shaking his head at me. I had to do something.

 _I'm a waitress. Be a waitress._ I repeated those words like a mantra, looking around for something to do.

Immediately, I eyed a freshly plated array of horderves on a cart along the wall and saw my ticket into the main banquet room. Quickly, I picked up the plate before anyone else could and made my way out of the service area and down a long corridor, following other wait staff on their way to serve food.

The main event room was larger than I had expected. Tables lining the area around what was most likely a dance floor. Currently, it was being used for networking as no one seemed interested in dancing. A band had made their home on the stage across the room, and they swayed together with the light tones of soft jazz filling in as white noise.

There were quite a few faces I recognized as I made my way slowly through the crowd. Faces I'd seen on TV and editorials in gossip magazines. Some of the bigwigs, one-percenters, and celebrities of the country making an appearance like this was some sort of Hollywood debut.

This was not the kind of people I was used to being around.

 _Keep your head down._

I lowered my head, slightly, allowing for the foreign brown hair to hide my eyes as the scanned the crowd, offering horderves to people softly as I passed them.

I couldn't help but seek out Diane and King in the crowd. A flash of red and then grey and I found the two of them mingling easily with a couple much older than them. I blinked in surprise at the confident aura the two of them gave off, like they did this every weekend. Not even phased by the fact that they were probably talking to a couple who made more in a month than they would in a lifetime.

I'm actually relieved to see them integrating so well. _Guess I was worried for nothing,_ I thought as I attempted to return to my own task for the night. Not that I really knew what that was. All I had been instructed to do was keep my head down and blend in. And so far, I was the only one not really blending in.

A second later, just before I could wander away, a loud shout of, "Dorothy!" pierced the air around the couple behind me.

Spinning around, I was just in time to see a tall slender blonde woman wrap her arms around Diane.

"It's been too long, darling! And Henry," she smiled at him, offering her hand. King took it and gently kissed her knuckles before wrapping his arm around Diane's waist. "You're looking just as dashing as ever. Gray and navy really are your colors, they just make your eyes pop. And Dorothy you are just stunning!"

"You're too kind, as always, Mrs. Harris," King replied politely.

"Oh please, Henry, I've told you, call me Victoria." The woman fluttered her eyes at him.

"Where is Timothy?" Diane pushed herself a little closer to King, resting a hand on his chest.

The woman's smile dipped slightly, "he should be around here somewhere." Victoria glanced around the room and then waved at someone. A tall good looking man with dark hair and dark eyes approached them. "Look who I found, Tim, dear."

"Mr. and Mrs. Jones, what a pleasure." He shook King's hand and then kissed Diane's. "We've missed you these past few months. What were you up to?"

I felt myself stiffen, thinking of something to direct the attention away from them - maybe dropping the serving platter would distract everyone. Not needed, it seemed, as King came up with an immediate response.

"Sold off some of the smaller companies I had under my belt for a lot more than I'd originally thought they'd sell for. The Mrs. thought we should take some time to travel." He answered loftily without missing a beat as he gazed at Diane affectionately.

"Oh it was amazing!" Diane gushed with a large smile. "Henry spoils me," she giggled, placing a soft kiss against his cheek. To my surprise, King didn't so much as blink. Anytime Diane initiated physical contact of any kind back at the Boar Hat, he always seemed so flustered.

 _It's like he's a different person._

I'd misjudged King's abilities here… Who else was I misjudging?

"Better get back to work," someone whispered, nudging me gently in passing, making me jump slightly.

My eyes flickered in the voice's direction, barely catching a glimpse of green eyes boring into me before they disappeared in the crowd. The darker hair threw me for a moment but there was no mistaking those eyes. Meliodas, of course.

Where the hell had he come from?

I shook my head, attempting to get my thoughts back on track. King and Diane obviously didn't need my help.

"Well I don't blame him for wanting to indulge a beauty such as yourself," I heard the man, Tim, speak.

I forced myself to leave, firmly ignoring the need to listen further. I had to trust that King and Diane could handle this. My 'skills' were needed elsewhere.

What seemed like hours passed as I waited on people who would barely look me in the eye. A fact that both relieved and pissed me off at the same time.

I was invisible to these people. Which meant that I'd been privy to a few conversations probably never meant for my ears. Gossip mostly - rumors of who was sleeping with who and who was stabbing who in the back these days. A few comments of the ever changing industry. Nothing to write home about, though. Which, I assumed, was my point here. To blend in and collect any nuggets of information that I could.

"I've heard there's a new facilitator on the circuit."

My ears burned as I caught the low whispers, and I did my best to not look suspicious as I suddenly came to a stop.

 _Facilitator? Circuit?_

Those were terms I knew. I'd been trained in the many slang languages of gangs - these terms were prominent in human trafficking. A facilitator was a support structure - industries, companies, or individuals that helped to enable, support, or facilitate human trafficking. A circuit referred to a series of cities among which prostituted people are moved.

Now this was a conversation I needed to listen into.

I was about to back track my steps when the tray balancing precariously in my hand nearly fell to the ground as someone suddenly grabbed my arm and yanked me along, "C'mon," they urged under their breath before I had a chance to shout, and immediately I knew it was Ban.

I looked back to the crowd I was being led away from anxiously, but I allowed him to lead me out of the room without fuss to keep from drawing any undue attention. I didn't even give myself a chance to look around for the others. I just kept my head down, eyes on Ban's long strides.

Once we were out of the main party room, though, I dared to look up.

"Where are we going?" I whispered, trying to stay quiet, itching to tell him - or anyone for that matter, about the conversation I'd begun to overhear. The large hall of the hotel echoed with our quick footsteps - there was no telling how far it would carry our voices.

"Just shut up and follow me." He snapped back under his breath. It was obvious he was in a rush. Just where the hell were we going?

My answer came when he darted into the next room we came upon. It was another large, empty banquet room. Empty stacked chairs and tables lined up against a red velvet retractable partition wall that separated this room from another.

"Wh-" I didn't even get a full word out before Ban turned with a finger over his mouth and a glare that demanded my silence. I watched as he quickly made his way to the partition, moving like a ghost as he did.

"What is this? You said I had an urgent phone call."

A woman's voice had me quietly rushing to the partition next to Ban, careful not to touch it, in fear that any sway of the wall would alert the woman and whoever she was addressing to our presence.

"Yeah, well, convenient lie to get you away from your security detail."

 _Meliodas?_

There was no mistake. I would recognize that cocky tone anywhere. But for some reason it seemed… colder… than usual. Like he was going out of his way to add bite to his words.

There was a short silence on the other side and Ban and I held our breaths as we waited.

"Oh? And what was so important that you needed to do that?" The woman sounded terse - annoyed. Certainly not like anyone who'd been lured into a private room with a stranger.

I didn't need to see who was in the room with the sin boss - I already knew. This was why we were here. But I hadn't expected Meliodas to corner the Mayor's wife like this. I thought that's why King and Diane had come. What the hell was going on? What had I missed while wandering through the crowd?

"Commandments."

I was surprised when that one word echoed in the room adjacent to ours in his voice. That's all he said. A single word that gave away everything we'd uncovered thus far. Wasn't this giving the woman too much? My gaze shifted to Ban and I watched a series of expressions cross his face - none of which I could read.

"I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about." The mayor's wife, Melascula, responded after a moment, unconvincingly. Even without seeing her face, I could tell she was lying. The question was, how much did she actually know?

"You can cut the act, Madam Mayor. I'm on a rather tight schedule," Meliodas' coldness sent icy chills down my spine as he paused threateningly. Like King before, Meliodas seemed like a completely different person. _Or is this the real Meliodas…_ some inner voice asked.

"So, then, if you could give me the answers I'm looking for, we can both be on our way."

Another long pause. What exactly was he doing in there that could keep a woman like Melascula - who seemed so confident before - in the same room, despite her personal security being just a shout away? Did Meliodas bring a weapon with him?

Melascula remained quiet for some time, and Meliodas spoke up in her stead. "Of course, you could make this difficult and I could go public with your secrets. You know… the money laundering? And of course, the affair..."

This time, the Mayor's wife erupted angrily, "This is ridiculous! I will not stand by while you threaten me with baseless accusations-!"

But her shout suddenly cut off with the sound of shuffling paper. "Not so baseless, actually." I could practically hear the cocky, menacing grin pulling at the corner of his lips, "I have the proof right here. So, what will it be?"

 _Proof? He has proof?! As in PHYSICAL PROOF?_ My eyes darted to Ban once more, but his stoic stare gave nothing away.

Just what were the sins still hiding from me?! I thought that King hadn't had much luck finding anything solid to pin on her. Just the calls.

ANOTHER long pause - this was getting unbearable.

Then suddenly… the atmosphere changed completely. Even on the other side of the partition, we could feel it, as Melascula's tone changed for pleading, "You don't understand… I - I'm being blackmailed!"

"I don't really care how you got involved. I just want to know the information you have. Why are the Commandments using you?" There's obvious disdain in his voice, despite her pleas. Why was he being so cold?

"I… I can't…" She sounded so torn.

"Can't, or won't?"

"I told you! I'm being blackmailed! If I… If I tell you, they'll-"

"They'll what?" The blonde challenged arrogantly, and the temperature plummeted further, "Because I'm pretty sure it's not nearly as bad as the hell I'll put you through for lying to me."

My gut twisted as I listened on - quitely staying my hand.

I hated this. So much. It went against everything I had vowed when becoming an officer.

But my brain told me to stay put. This was a common interrogation tactic. I should have been used to it. But something felt so wrong about this...

"You got yourself into this mess, Madame Mayor. That's not really my problem. But, you can do the one decent thing you've done since your husband ran for office."

The tension rose again as the two quieted. Their breaths were the only indication they were still there on the other side.

"What are they using you for?" Meliodas asked again, no nonsense. No more chances.

Infuriating silence.

Then… "Funding." Her voice was small - meek even. Almost too low to hear on this side of the wall. "I've… I've been syphoning off money from my husband's campaign and some of my more profitable charities and wiring it to an offshore account." She half mumbled.

"Why?"

Melascula took a deep breath, "T-they… made a major scandal go away… and helped fund my husband's campaign for office. I don't-"

Ban's suddenly knocking on the wall, making Melascula's words cut off. I stared at him, wide eyed and mortified. _What the hell are you doing?_ I wanted to scream at him.

The next thing I knew he was dragging me out of the room, without hearing the consequences of his interruption. Once we are out I hissed, "Ban, what-"

"Not yet," he gruffed at me, dragging me through the hall.

We didn't go back to the party. Instead, Ban lead me through multiple paths and bursting through a exit door that led to a series of stairs. I nearly tumbled down them as Ban dragged me along three or four more floors, then out into a new corridor and a door that had us outside in the garage on a floor we hadn't come in on. Not once had he let go of the vice grip he had on my arm. Almost as if he thought I'd run back as soon as he let go.

A couple of vehicles made their residence on this level of the garage, but most notably was the van parked so that it was hidden behind a series of beams.

A minute later, after nearly sprinting across the garage, he shoved me in the front seat of the van. Wordlessly, he entered the driver's seat and tore out of the parking spot, spinning us around with a squeal of the tires, and zooming up a series of slopes back up towards the entrance.

"Wait, what about-"

Ban silenced me with a sharp glare. "Not yet." He insisted once again.

I gritted my teeth to keep from retorting. My eyes stared out the window, my fingers fiddling with the leather underneath me to keep myself occupied.

We're at the back of the building, two floors away from the main entrance when a flash of black caught my eye a second before the back door was thrown open. The figure threw themselves in the van. Meliodas.

"Go." He commanded harshly.

Ban stepped on the gas, peeling out of the parking garage before Meliodas could even close the van's back door. Through which I had caught a glimpse of a couple of figures running out of the building in dark suites, supposedly chasing after Meliodas, before the door finally closed.

I twisted in my seat so I could see both of them. "Will one of you please tell-"

"Not yet." They both responded.

It took all I had in me not to retaliate physically. But I bit my tongue, crossed my arms and sat silently in the front seat, waiting for us to get back to the Boar Hat.

* * *

I yanked my wig off the moment I walked through the Bar's door, ignoring the pain of bobby-pins ripping hair from my head.

The other two were not far behind me and I whirled on them, "Can I speak now?!" I growled angrily, receiving confused glances from both of them - like my outburst was completely unexpected.

"Yeah, of course." Meliodas shrugged and I almost lost it in the face of his shift to nonchalance.

"What the actual fuck was that?" I growled, pointing to the door like it was where we'd crossed the line into general chaos and nonsense. I had so many questions and they came out crammed into a single angry sentence.

" _That_ , Princess, is how we get shit done." Ban answered for his boss - who was the object of my rage-filled glare. A glare he seemed unsure of yet completely unphased by.

I turned my rage towards Ban, " _THAT_ was blackmail. If your goal was to make your only REAL lead shut her mouth and make yourselves an even bigger target of the police, congrats - that's exactly what you've done."

"I thought you wanted information. That's what we got."

"No, what you've done is confirmed there is money being laundered by the Mayor's wife. And even if we DID have evidence of that - _which we don't_ \- with the lawyers her husband has, she'd never see a day of jail time."

I expected someone to argue. I expected yelling. What I got was Meliodas' 'all-knowing' grin, "Oh ye of little faith." He patted my shoulder as he passed me and went behind the bar to pour a couple mugs of beer, "It's adorable that you think we honestly didn't consider any of that."

Ban took one of the offered beers, taking a seat at the bar as if this were any other conversation - both of them as easy going as ever, leaving me to stand on my own, staring wide eyed in this revelation.

"We've been watching the Mayor and his wife for some time now, remember?" His brow raised, as if to remind me of our time in the mayor's home, and our kiss. A memory I refused to let him distract me with.

"The one thing we do know about Melascula - she doesn't shut down. She's too confident in the protection her husband can provide her. More likely, she's going to tell the commandments that someone is on to them. That someone out there has evidence of the things they're doing."

There was a twinkle of something in his emerald eyes as he looked from me, down to his own mug - a spark of something that reminded me of subdued bloodlust, "And when they start making noise… We'll know." His tone was so… _sure_. Like he was reading the future moves of a chess game he was in complete control of.

I watched the confident man behind the counter finally turn his gaze up to me, pushing one of the other mugs towards an empty seat - an invitation for me to sit.

A familiar sense of dread washed over me as I realized how much of a stranger he still was to me. There was so much about him and the lengths he and his group would go to that I still didn't know. About how much of all of this he'd anticipated and played close to the vest - and how much of the real Meliodas I actually knew.

I'd come to know a man who was kind and charming when he wasn't being an ass. A man who genuinely cared about the people around him - with something of a hero complex.

But, now for the second time, I'd seen a much darker, much more calculating side of him. Someone who knew how to play hardball with people I could only dream of taking on. Someone who knew how to poke and prod at all the right buttons to get others to do what he wanted.

 _Which is the real you, Meliodas?_

 _The knight or the mastermind?_

* * *

Dom: *Blows celebratory horn* GUESS WHAT GUYS! Today is the ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY of DON'T TRUST ME! I can't believe it's been a year already!

Luv: I know! *starts pulling out tissues to wipe away a few stray tears* To think our baby is a year old already! *blows nose*

Dom: *Eyes her co-writer with raised brow* We'd like to thank you all for making this last year so amazing and for supporting DTM!

Luv: Reading each and every one of your reviews always makes us all tingly and giddy!

Dom: *Shivers excitedly* Oh, yes. Very much so!

Luv: We'd give you all the chapters right off the bat if we could but well…. Life and what not thinks it's important or something. *rolls eyes.*

Dom: Sigh… adulting sucks.

Luv: Anywho, on to the preview! Next time on DTM: After a night of thrills and espionage, Elizabeth is happy to be back to her normal routine at the bar - except, things turn anything but ordinary when a new face makes an appearance at the bar and causes a commotion. Just who is this girl who seems to have such a profound effect on both Ban and King?

Dom: Thanks again, everyone, and as always - we'll see you next chapter!


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

I didn't sleep much that night.

My mind whirled back and forth on what I'd heard and learned the night before. About the mayor's wife, about the sins…

About Meliodas.

I was so torn.

There seemed to be two sides to every one of them. A side that made me question if I could do my job at the end of all of this, and another that made me remember why they were wanted criminals.

To make matters worse, today I was supposed to be receiving a package from Gil. One that could very well mean I was breaking my promise to Meliodas.

But I couldn't help it anymore.

The Commandments, the drugs, the criminal underworld - no one just _stumbled_ on to these things. I needed to know why Meliodas was involved. Why he was so damned determined to put himself and his underlings in the line of fire.

Because it was important that I know. At least, that's what I had convinced myself.

The next problem was figuring out how I was going to sneak it past the sins - who all seemed to have eyes in the back of their heads.

Flopping back and forth on the issue didn't make for very restful sleep, but I refused to come out of my room until I'd managed to get a hold of my wayward thoughts on the matter.

By the time I came down to the bar the next morning, I was surprised to find I was the only one on the floor. I guess I shouldn't have been so shocked. Despite the _lack_ of sleep, I had opted to go to bed long before everyone else. Meliodas and Ban had mentioned wanting to wait for King and Diane to get back.

I wanted to wait too… but after so many turbulent emotions from the day, I couldn't imagine I was going to keep my thoughts to myself for much longer.

"Guess I'll get the bar ready for opening," I mumbled to the empty room, finding that the motions of getting ready for customers helped calm me.

It was late morning when someone let themselves in the bar. I had just finished restocking the bar area when I noticed and stared at her quizzically, glancing around the room and finding only myself and the stranger still. Not a Sin in sight.

"Hello." I greeted the young woman with a somewhat forced smile. After last night my head still wasn't on quite right. "May I help you with something? We aren't open yet."

"Oh." The blonde blinked her honey gaze up at me in surprise. "Who are you?" She tilted her head curiously, giving me the once over. "I didn't hear about them hiring anyone new."

My brows furrowed at her response to me. _Who is she? Another one of the sins many contacts?_

"I'm Princess." I introduced myself with a smile. "I just started a week or so ago."

"Ah, that explains it." She accepted the odd name without so much as a bat of her eyes. "Is no one else here?" She frowned lightly as she walked farther into the bar. "Seems odd he'd reach out if he wasn't going to be here."

"Who-?"

The door to the basement opened, taking my attention. King walked out, shutting the door behind him with a yawn. He sent a lazy wave in my direction as he made a beeline for the coffee pot - having most likely slept down there. He still had his dress pants on and his white button-up was disheveled and untucked from his pants in random places. I felt myself tense, anxious about what the Sin of Sloth would do with this newcomer.

To my surprise, the blonde woman was the first to break the silence. "Morning, Harlequin." There was an easy smile on her face. One of familiarity.

"Morning, Elaine." He responded without a glance in her direction as he filled his mug with coffee.

I'm dumbfounded as I glanced between the ginger and the woman.

 _Elaine?_ As in… his _little sister_ , Elaine?

The familiarity suddenly made sense. That didn't make the situation any less tense or strange as I eyed her.

The woman turned to me with an amused smile as the ginger shuffled sleepilly back towards the basement. "Wait for it," Elaine whispered to me, clearly amused and unfazed by her brother's state.

His hand was on the basement door before he paused. "Hold on," I thought I heard him mumble from across the room.

He spun back around, almost dropping his coffee as the woman next to me waved.

"E-Elaine!" King stuttered, shock clearly etched out across his face. A second later it turned to a deep scowl as he stomped towards us. "What are you doing here? I told you never to come here unless it was an absolute emergency!"

The small blonde woman who conversed with me so easily merely rolled her eyes. "Oh calm down, Harlequin. It's been awhile since you visited, so I thought I'd just take the initiative."

That confirmed it. This really was the Elaine Ban spoke so fondly of. The one both King and Ban nearly bit my head off about. But, wait… _Harlequin?_ That wasn't a name I'd heard before.

"There's a reason for that-"

"There always is," Elaine huffed, cutting the man off with a pointed stare.

King's mouth snapped shut and he cast her a weary glare. I had the feeling this was a conversation they had often.

"I know you don't like it when I come here, but I missed you guys, okay?" Her sharp stare morphed into a small pout and King's expression immediately softened.

"Elaine," he sighed, seemingly torn between scolding her and making her feel better. "It's too-"

"Dangerous. I know."

"It's not just that this time," King urged her to listen. For a second, his gaze shifted to mine, an unfamiliar expression on his pinched features, before shifting back to hers. "This was about the worst possible time for you to decide on a spur of the moment visit."

Then it hit me.

King wasn't just mad at his sister. He was _scared_. Not just because Elaine walked into their base of operations, which it sounded like she wasn't supposed to be doing, but because of _me_. He was anxious that I was going to do something about her being here.

"Relax, King." Ban's voice suddenly rang through the bar as he made his way from the hall, presumably just waking up. "I told her to come by. Figured it'd be frowned upon if I left, so I invited her."

King rounded on Ban with barely contained fury. "Are you an absolute _moron?_ " He ground out at the much taller man. "Do you have any idea what you just did?" His tone grew louder with each word. "How can you be so fucking stupid?!"

Ban just blinked blankly at him. Apparently surprised by his anger. I find myself mimicking the action. I hadn't ever seen King this mad before. Sure, he and Ban got in arguments but it was never real. This time the ginger haired man seemed genuinely furious.

"Whoa," Meliodas and Diane appeared from the hall behind Ban. "What's going on out here?"

"This-This oaf, just invited Elaine here."

"So?"

"Let me remind you guys of something all of you seemed to have forgotten. Elizabeth," he spun towards me, nothing but distrust in his eyes, "isn't one of us. What's to stop her from turning Elaine in? I can bet my sister wasn't apart of your little deal, _Boss_."

My eyes widened and my mouth dried. I never would have expected King to speak so harshly to anyone but Ban. Hell, if there was one Sin who made their stance of distrust against me clear from the beginning it was the white haired man.

But King…

He was the one who pacified Ban my first night here. Told the man to wait and see, that I hadn't done anything to sway his opinion one way or another.

Everything I _had_ done so far proved King was right. That I could be trusted. I hated to admit it, but his words hurt. All those morning sessions together and yet the Sin of Sloth still thought of me as nothing more than an enemy. Someone to be wary of. His words a few days ago about me trying to get answers from him rung in my head;

" _Too bad I have to take everything you say as you trying to dig for information."_

Perhaps I shouldn't have been so surprised by his sudden outburst. He'd likely never trusted me in the first place.

"King, Elizabeth's not-" Diane tried to approach her boyfriend.

"Not what!?" He snapped at her. Upon seeing her flinch in face of his rage, he deflated, anger gone as quick as it came. "I-I'm sorry," he choked out an apology and I noticed he was barely fighting back tears. "I-I didn't mean- I just-"

"Shhh," Diane soothed, wrapping him up in a hug and cutting off his words. "It's okay. I understand." He buried his face in her neck, returning her embrace as he tried to calm his breathing.

"Oh, Harlequin," Elaine's voice was soft.

I glanced at her and found tears in her eyes. She quickly blinked them away and walked over to hug her brother along with Diane, the man squished between the two women. The brunette placed a gentle kiss to his forehead before letting him go, guiding him into his sister's embrace. Elaine gave her a shaky smile.

I'm equally confused as I am touched by the scene before me. It was obvious King was worried about his sister, but… it seemed deeper than that. Like he honestly believed that I was just going to… what? Lock her up?

A heavy sigh drug me out of my thoughts. I turned in time to see Ban running a hand through his messy hair. The look on his face was as close to guilt as I think he could ever get.

He placed a hand on King's head and mumbled, "Sorry, buddy. Shoulda told you first."

The siblings separated and King rubbed harshly at his eyes. "It's fine. _I'm_ fine."

"Always such a crybaby," Elaine joked. Her words lacking the normal mocking tone that would come from saying such a phrase. She said it almost endearingly.

"Don't forget blabbermouth," Meliodas helped to lighten the mood. His shoulders lost their tension as he shot King a smile, almost reassuring the man about his breakdown. That it was okay and he understood.

I wish I could say the same.

Diane wrapped her arms around King's shoulders from behind, resting her head next to his. "All you guys are doing is listing off things I like about him." A small quirk formed on her lips.

"H-hey!" King blushed. Or maybe it's the aftereffects of his… whatever that was.

Everyone shared a laugh.

One last kiss to the cheek from Diane and she released her hostage. King attempted to scowl at her, but it fell short at the sight of her bright smile. He sighed and turned to me.

I found myself stiffening involuntarily.

Those intense amber eyes were different now, apologetic. "Sorry, Princess. I," his adam's apple bobbed with remorse, "uh, overreacted."

Ban snorted, "like always." He mused King's hair again and I had to wonder how deep their friendship went.

Despite my mixed feelings on King trying to accuse me of turning his sister in, I couldn't blame him.

If this was any other situation but the one I was in, he would have been right.

I _would_ have had her hauled away for questioning. To find out what she knew of her brother's involvement in such a ruthless gang as the Seven Deadly Sins. But… I believed him and Ban when they said she wasn't involved in this. King's reaction, how _scared_ he was that I would do just what he feared, told me her entanglement was only on the surface at best.

At least that's what I convinced myself of as I looked at the two of them.

It was easy to tell they were siblings now that I really paid attention. Their eyes were similar, almost the same shade of orange, but Elaine's were a bit lighter, almost gold compared to King's amber. They were both small and lightly built, neither very tall. Even their facial features were easily recognizable.

"It's alright, King," I told him and watched the tension leave his shoulders. "I understand." I responded simply - even though I didn't.

I understood his fear, sure. Just not the reason behind it. But something told me I was never going to understand. That there was something else driving that fear. Something that had left deep scars on him.

He smiled softly and I'm reminded of our time spent together in the basement. When I thought he was just a nerdy member of the Sins. Not a man capable of putting on an act for the richest people in the city.

"Well, I don't," Elaine frowned, eyes darting between the two of us. "Elizabeth seems nice enough," she picked up on the name he'd used, not the one I gave her, "I don't know why you were so mean to her, Harlequin."

Again with that name. I should have realized King was an alias. _But why_? It's a question that I'm finding harder and harder to ignore as I spend more time with him. With _all_ of the Sins.

"Uh, Princess is-" What little color the ginger had regained was gone again and he paused with a questioning glance over to Meliodas.

"Why do you keep calling her Princess, Harlequin?" Elaine poked his chest, forcing his gaze back to her. "That's rude. It's obvious you know her name, so use it."

"Ah, well you see-" King shifted anxiously at her ruthless attack.

"Unless she's in the same kind of situation as you," her eyebrows shot up and suddenly she was back looking at me. Her expression was contemplative but her eyes were tinged with curiosity. "Oh my gosh. She isn't, is she? There's no way! Ah, but if she is then that would explain-"

"Not quite, Elaine," Ban stopped her ranting by physically picking her up and placing her on top of the bar before she could get any further into what King's situation could be.

Elaine pouted up at him, crossing her arms in front of her small chest. "Then why is she here, Ban?"

He looked torn. Another expression I thought I'd never see on the Sin of Greed. He always seemed so sure of things. Even the choices he obviously hadn't thought through. Like inviting his girlfriend here and somehow causing King a massive panic attack.

"She's undercover Elaine," Meliodas answered, sparing the man the trouble, choosing thee truth over any other explanation. A choice that surprised me.

"Undercover?" Her brows furrowed. "Then that would mean… oh… OH!" Elaine's eyes went wide once again with realization as she studied at me in a whole new light. "Well that makes sense." Her eyes flashed to her brother once more.

Did the two of them have a bad run in with cops or something?

"So, do me a favor will ya?" Meliodas smiled at the young woman. "Don't tell anyone what I just told you and in turn, I'm sure Elizabeth will realize you don't know a damn thing about what we do here." His last part was more directed at me than her.

A thinly veiled threat perhaps?

Maybe not… there was a hint of pleading to his eyes as he looked at me. The hero complex again. No sign of the cold mastermind from the night before. I spent a second longer searching his emerald gaze than I would have liked. Looking for any tell that this was the real him. But unable to find it.

As wary as I was of Meliodas' ever-shifting personalities, I merely turned a soft small soft smile on Elaine as if to promise that I would do my best to ignore her involvement.

"What are you doing here anyway, Elaine?" King redirected the conversation. "You shouldn't come here unless it's an emergency."

"I know," she sighed. "But I missed you guys! And I was texting Ban and he said it would be fine if I stopped by for awhile," King and Meliodas both stare at the white haired man who shrugged, clearly not caring anymore, "I finished all my homework and I was bored sooo, here I am!" Elaine finished with a bright smile.

"We missed you too Elaine!" Diane jumped in on her enthusiasm. "It's been too long," she wrapped the smaller woman up in a hug. "How have you been? School going alright?"

"I'm great and school's been going really well so far! I'm really enjoying it," Elaine explained in an excited rush. "How are things here? You been keeping the boys in line?"

"Of course," Diane winked.

"Some of us more than others," Ban snickered as he elbowed King in the side.

"Ban!" The siblings exasperated together. Elaine continued with a, "that's gross!"

"You think that's bad? You should spend the night here onc-"

King elbowed the man sharply below the ribs. "I'm glad to hear school is going well." The ginger ignored the dirty look from his victim.

"It is. I wish you could go too, Harlequin."

He chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck as he refused to meet anyone's eyes. "You and I both know I wouldn't do so well."

Elaine pursed her lips. "You would too! I know you would. You're smart! Not Gowther or maybe Merlin smart, but really nobody's quite like them. But you're up there!"

"... is that supposed to be reassuring?" King quirked a brow.

"Ugh!" Elaine blushed and and leaned over to smack his arm. "You know what I mean! You should be going to school with me."

"We've been over this a thousand times, Elaine," he shook his head. "It's not for me."

"School is for everyone."

"I'm too old."

"You are _not_ too old!" She smacked his arm again. "Twenty-five is too soon to be giving up on a different kind of future, Harlequin."

Wait...

"What?" I couldn't stop myself from blurting out. They all turned to me, surprised, as if they forgot I was even there. "No way you're only... I thought you were way younger than me."

Diane giggled at the offended expression on her boyfriends face. "Just how old do you think we all are?" She tilted her head as she gave me a sly smirk.

"Huh." A smug grin settled on Meliodas' lips. "I'm actually curious too, now that you mention it."

I somehow felt like I just walked myself into a trap. "Uh, w-well-"

"Ah, come on guys." Elaine came to my rescue with a shake of her head. "You guys are hard to figure out." She turned to me with a kind smile. "I'll save you the ruthless guessing game they probably had in mind-" huffs of displeasure from Meliodas, Ban and Diane, "-I'm obviously King's younger sister." She placed a hand to her chest. "I'm 22. Harlequin is 25. And Diane is-"

"Hold on!" Diane interrupted her quickly. "I want her to guess for me!"

"She's 23." Elaine continued anyways with a roll of her eyes.

"Elaine!" The brunette wailed. "Not fair!"

"Though you wouldn't guess it from how she acts sometimes." The blonde leaned over to whisper to me with a giggle.

Elaine was right. But I would have probably guessed the other way. Diane's mannerisms had always made me believe she was older and just had a youthful spirit. Not the other way around.

"And those guys." Elaine waved towards Meliodas and Ban. "They're old."

"Ah that's not very nice, Elaine. One of us is your boyfriend." Meliodas pointed out with an amused shake of his head. "She just says that cause she's barely old enough to drink." He teased the other blonde goodnaturedly as he addressed me with a grin.

She flushed. "I've been old enough for over a year, Meliodas!"

"Not like that stopped her anyways." Ban chuckled as he wrapped an arm around her waist.

"It should have," King grumbled.

"Oh please! Where did you meet Diane again?" Elaine scoffed with a roll of her eyes.

Meliodas and Ban laughed.

"Do I finally get to hear this story?" My curiosity was peaked. Just what was so interesting about the way King and Diane met?

"No." The ginger shook his head insistently. "No you do not."

"Come on, King." I bit the inside of my lip to keep from smiling. The banter was refreshing. "You _did_ say another time when I asked you earlier this week."

His eyes lit up in amusement. "No. I said _another time, maybe_. Extra emphasis on that maybe part."

"So if it's up to you, I'll never hear it?"

"You got it, Princess."

I laughed despite myself. "I'll just get it from Diane, then."

"Probably should have just asked her in the first place." Meliodas piped up by my side. "She's not as good of a storyteller, but at least you'll get the story."

"Hey!" Diane pinched his arm. "I'm great at telling stories! And that one." She sent King a sultry smile over her shoulder that had the ginger the same shade of red as his hair. "Is one of my favorites to tell."

"Ew, Diane." Elaine scrunched up her features. "I don't want to hear it."

The room laughed.

"Well, Elaine," Meliodas addressed her. "You know the rules. You show up, you gotta work."

"Just how I want to spend my Saturday night." The blonde woman responded sarcastically.

The more I heard her talk, the more I realized how much like King she was. Right down to the sarcastic comments. Though, she was obviously more charismatic and willing to go out of her way to help someone than her brother was, whose interests have always seemed to be geared towards two things: the mission and Diane.

"Shoulda came on a Sunday if you didn't want to work." King told her flatly. "Or you know, _any_ day but today."

Elaine made a face at him that soon had the two bickering. It honestly reminded me of how Vernoica and I got on each other's nerves sometimes. But even I could tell the love between them ran deep.

I suppose Elaine would be included as well in what was important to King. I filed the information away in the back of my mind, ignoring the tinge of guilt I felt at doing so. This was probably one of the very reasons that he didn't want me to meet his sister. So she couldn't be used against him.

Elaine readily told me all about herself and the major she was working towards - botany - despite her brother's grievances and mumbled reasons _why_ she shouldn't. The small blonde woman seemed to believe I didn't really mean any harm with how well I got along with them.

"And you're the hardest one to get along with, Harlequin" Elaine poked her brother in the side. "So she can't be _all_ bad."

We both huffed for different reasons.

"I am not!" King insisted stubbornly. "That would be your ass of a boyfriend, actually."

"What?" Elaine scrunched up her features. "No way. Ban's a total sweetheart!"

I snorted in my drink. Diane giggled at my side as she handed me a napkin.

"See!" King waved a hand in my direction. "No one thinks that but you!"

"Ah come on King," a teasing smile tugged at Meliodas' lips. "Don't be so harsh. Obviously Ban is the sweetheart of the group. I mean, look at that face!"

Ban fluttered his eyelashes. King gagged as Daine and I busted out in laughter.

"This-this conversation is… is absolutely ridiculous!" I struggled to get out.

"Ouch, Princess, ouch." Ban made a face at me.

Elaine patted his cheek with a small smile. "Well, _I_ think you are."

"You're the only one that matters."

"Ouch, Ban, ouch." Meliodas mimicked the white haired man's words with a hurt expression.

"And of course you too, Boss."

Meliodas chuckled and glanced at the time. "Alright, we better open up the doors and get to work."

"Thought the doors were never locked?" I pointed out the little bit of information I had gathered two nights ago.

Instead of responding sarcastically like I expected him to, he merely smiled with a wink. "Right. Flip the sign I mean."

"You still have a spare uniform?" Elaine asked, eyes flickering to me with pursed lips. "One that'll actually fit me."

"Course I do." A crooked grin spread across Meliodas' lips. "I mean, the top may actually be a full shirt on you compared to the other girls. But I have one."

Elaine flushed. "Meliodas!" She whined with puffed out cheeks. "It is not my fault, I'm flat chested! You know what, no. My boobs are just fine! It's not my fault you only hire girls with ginormous chests!" She pointed an accusing finger at me.

"H-hey!" I stuttered as heat built on my cheeks.

Diane stuck hers out proudly, inadvertently -or perhaps purposefully- drawing King's gaze. "If you got em' flaunt em!" The burnette sang merrily.

"Now, now, girls," that stupid smirk still danced across Meliodas' lips. "You all have wonderful-"

"Boss!" King interrupted him with a sharp glare. "No. Just no."

"Let the man finish, ya party pooper!" Ban chortled as he slapped King on the back. "This is like your favorite topic!"

"Ban!" Elaine made a horrified face "Ew!"

"Your brother's a perv, Elaine." The Sin of Greed told her flatly.

King's face flushed. "I am _not_!"

"Well…" Diane trailed off, trying, and failing to hide her amusement.

"Diane! Don't encourage him."

She merely laughed and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. She gave him a quick kiss to the cheek and whispered something in his ear.

I got out of my chair. Very much done with this whole exchange. "I'm going to change." I told Meliodas before he could say anything else.

"Oh, I'll come with!" Elaine hopped off the counter and quickly followed after me.

Ban huffed. "Look what you did Diane, scared the good women away."

"... did you just _actually_ pay Princess a compliment?" King's disbelieving voice carried as Elaine and I made our way to the stairs. The blonde giggled.

"No. That was supposed to be more of a jab at Di than a praise to Princess."

"Hey!" Diane protested and I hear the sound of flesh meeting flesh.

"Ouch!" Ban shouts angrily. "What the fuck was that for?!"

King sighed heavily and Meliodas laughed.

"You deserved it!" Diane insisted with a stomp of her foot.

"Always so lively." Elaine's amused voice reminded me what we were suppose to be doing. "You must be having a lot of fun staying here!"

"Or something." I mumbled under my breath.

King's little sister merely laughed.

* * *

Dom: *Takes a long sip from a boozed-up concoction in a pineapple with a frilly umbrella, sighing with satisfaction as she bakes like a lobster under the summer sun*

Luv: *peaks her head from around a corner and stares jealousy* I wanna fruity drink. *slowly slips into the empty seat next to Dom.*

Dom: *Passes her a nice fruit smoothie with a smile and a wag of her finger* NOPE! Gotta keep you nice and healthy! This has lots of vitamins and the dom's love for the luv. *big dopey smile*

Luv: *scrunches up her nose but takes the drink anyways* Healthy is sooooo much work. *sighs and starts sipping.* Oh… okay… this is actually pretty good!

Dom: *slides up close and whispers* It's all the dom's love for the luv that makes it tasty. *Slides back into her chair looking more like a lobster each second*

Luv: Uh….. *blinks at Dom's red skin.* Thanks but… do you need like, sunscreen? Or… *searches for a large umbrella* shade?

Dom: *Examines her skin* Nope. I'm not adequately broiled yet.

Luv: Well if you're sure…. *sips at her drink*. Who's turn is it to give the preview?

Dom: Mine… I think… I dono… I'm on Vacation! *Sighs contentedly as she pears out over their backyard and the tiny pile of sand they'd propped up at their feet from the park… because adulting sucks and who actually has time for vacations?*

Luv: Think you can spare like 30 seconds for it? It's totally your turn! Plus I DO need the sunscreen *starts lathering on the sunscreen and whispers* All the sunscreen...

Dom: SSSSIIIIIIIGGGHHHHHHHH… Okay. For you. And the readers. Because I love the readers. Next time on Don't Trust Me: Elizabeth is expecting mail, but it's hard to sneak materials past a bunch of sins with their eyes trained on you every moment! But, our rookie may just get some help from an unexpected source. But, when all is said and done, will she like what she discovers when she finally gets the truth?

Luv: Ahhhh *sighs contently, now covered head to toe in sun protection.* The luv is safe...

Dom: *Flips over as her front side has reached the optimal red* See you guys next time!

 **Disclaimer:** WEAR SUNSCREEN. DO IT. SUN BAD.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

"They're adorable, aren't they?" Elaine beamed as soon as I shut the door to my borrowed room.

"Who?"

"Harlequin and Diane!"

"Oh." I blinked, trying to figure out where exactly she was going with this. "Yeah, I suppose they are." I agreed without needing much thought on the subject. They were certainly the cutesy couple. More PDA than normal, but cute nonetheless.

"It made me really happy to hear that they finally started dating." The blonde walked towards my dresser, making herself at home as she dug around for a uniform. "Harlequin needs her a lot more than he thinks he does."

From what I could tell, the ginger seemed very aware of that fact. But her words and the exchanges I'd been witness to made it clear just how much of a rich history there was between everyone here. Meliodas was a slave driver when it came to King - it was clear he needed his skills, but he also played the role of big brother. To both siblings it seemed. The sin boss acted more like a loving uncle to Elaine than he did acquaintance.

Something in their shared history had brought them all together in this dysfunctional family sort of way. I just wish I knew what it was...

"You're a lot more open than your brother." The thought slipped past my lips. I mentally cringed, preparing myself for some kind of backlash.

Elaine paused for a moment in her digging. Then she laughed. "I would think so! We did grow up differently."

"You didn't grow up together?" My brows knitted together.

"Ah, I didn't mean it like that." She quickly shook her head. "We did grow up together. Just… Harlequin… he took care of me." Her expression became unreadable as she disregarded her search for a uniform, looking me up and down. Her honey eyes settled on mine, a small smile on her lips. "He raised me."

I nibbled at my lip, anxious, but curious all the same. "What about your parents?"

"Not a clue." She shrugged and turned back around. "Never knew them."

 _Never_? The word echoed in my mind.

"It's alright though. It used to bother me when I was younger, seeing the other kids with their parents. But when I'd ask Harlequin about it he'd… he'd get this… _look_ and… well I just stopped asking after awhile."

"That… that's so…"

"It's not." Elaine interrupted with a smile before I got any further. "He did everything he could for me and then some. Of course I'd change some things if I could but… he tired. I know that now and I just wish that I… that I could repay that somehow, you know?"

It was like a lightbulb sprang to life in my head. She'd just handed me the perfect opportunity to get two of the Sins out of the bar.

"Why not offer them the night off?"

"Huh?"

"King and Diane." I clarified as I tried to put my words out there correctly. "Diane had mentioned not having a date night in a long time. And I'm sure King would appreciate one too."

Elaine perked and nodded her head eagerly. "Yeah! That would be perfect! But…" she deflated slightly, "what about Meliodas?"

"I'm sure he won't mind." My thoughts raced trying to find a reason why. "He does owe King at least a night off for all the work he's done this week. And you're here to help cover the workload tonight."

The other woman hummed, thinking over my words and nodding to herself. "Yeah," Elaine mumbled, "yeah that could work."

We changed without much else said.

By the time we returned to the main floor, customers were already seated. Hours go by and it has to be almost five before I see King and Diane sneaking away up the stairs. Their body language told me all I needed to know. They had gotten the night off.

 _Two down_ , I thought to myself as I walked into the empty kitchen hiding a victorious smile, _two more to go._ Because I wasn't really worried about Elaine. If anything, she'd probably take Ban off my hands for me by the end of the night.

Leaving only Meliodas.

"You know that you're not the boss, right?"

 _Speak of the devil…_

I forced myself to relax as I realized Meliodas had snuck up behind me. And his tone could only mean one thing. Elaine told him the whole thing had been my idea. Damnit. I had hoped she'd keep that bit of information to herself.

Seemed her brother wasn't the only blabbermouth. Probably a family trait.

His voice had been soft. Challenging, but not cold. His mood hadn't shifted dramatically despite the domineering tone he gave me.

"I figured they could use the night off," I replied smoothly, continuing my search for a new order pad in the cabinet against the wall. "One of them _did_ have a fairly rough week."

The pointed look I shot over my shoulder did nothing to the blonde.

He studied me, features giving nothing away to the inner workings of his mind. Finally, he shrugged. "That's fair. Though," he took a step closer and leaned in, face inches apart from my own and sporting narrowed eyes and what could only be described as a devious grin, "I'd appreciate it if you'd talk with _me_ first before giving one of _my_ workers the night off."

Rebellion coursed through me at his expression. "I'll think about it." I responded curtly, maybe even playfully so to not anger him further. "Someone should look out for their well being." I couldn't help but try to rub dirt in the wound. To imply that he didn't care - to make _him_ flinch for once.

Meliodas chuckled, to my irritation, matching me play for play. "That's funny, coming from you." An amused smile spread across his lips as he leaned back, hands pushing into his pockets, eyes continuing to narrow on me like a challenge.

A challenge I was more than ready to take on before we heard, "Would you two get out of my kitchen?" Ban huffed from the doorway, cutting off my sharp reply. His crimson gaze eyed the two of us critically.

And I finally realized just how close Meliodas really was; then how cold it suddenly became when he moved away before I did.

I didn't even catch the retort he threw at Ban as he went back out to the tavern. I was too distracted by the strange flutter my heart was doing at the image of him next to me.

"Hey."

Ban's voice cut through my daydream, and I turned to look at him expectantly.

"Out." He gestured to the door, like he meant business this time.

I rolled my eyes as I finally pulled a fresh pad from the supplies and pushed my way back out to the crowds.

* * *

"Taking out the trash!"

The night couldn't have gone more according to plan. After Ban finished closing down the kitchen and we were left with only stragglers in the bar, he and Elaine disappeared, saying something about spending time at the university before they had left.

"Need some help?" Meliodas called back to me from the tavern as he finished tallying the cash from the service. We were the only ones left. This couldn't have gone more perfectly.

"I'm alright. Ban took most of it out earlier."

"Alright!" He called back, and that was it. No fuss. No questions. It finally felt like I was getting somewhere.

More importantly though, I had a package waiting for me.

I hefted the trash bag and pushed my way out the back door, making sure to swing the black bag hard enough that it would clear the trash bin wall. Once I heard the thud inside, I was home free. Now all I had to do was find the package.

The back alley was dark and quiet, save the occasional sound of cars passing on the main road, making it easy for me to check for any onlookers. But it quickly became apparent that I was actually alone for once. Good.

Quickly, I dropped to my knees, ignoring the smell coming from the trash bin as I fished under it. If Gil had gotten my message, then there was bound to be a - There!

My hand grazed crisp paper, and I pulled a hefty manilla envelope out in front of me. It was labeled in one corner with my initials.

 _I knew I could count on you, Gil._ I smiled, wrapping the parcel in my arms and quickly climbing to my feet and going back inside.

The next problem was how I was going to get it past Meliodas.

I glanced around the kitchen, finding a basket of clean, unfolded towels sitting on one of the metal counters. _Perfect._

The envelop hid perfectly under the towels, and I quickly exited the kitchen with the basket tucked under my arm. "I'm going to finish folding these towels and then I'll be heading to bed." I said resolute, passing Meliodas without so much as a glance, and trying to ignore the heat I felt under my skin as I felt him watching me.

"Wait."

 _Fuck…_

I turned back to look at him expectantly - doing my best not to seem guilty.

"You know you don't have to do that, right? I think you've covered enough for today. Diane can handle that in the morning." He said, offering me a raised brow and a knowing grin.

There was a rush of relief at not being caught, but I couldn't let my guard down yet.

"I don't mind," I started, but find myself thinking better of sounding too compliant. I've never been especially eager to pull my weight. He might think it suspicious. "I mean, I told Diane I'd handle closing tonight so she could go out. I'd hate to go back on that. Besides, they're just towels."

He watched me for a long moment, but eventually nodded, "I suppose you've got a point. Thanks for doing that. I'm sure Diane appreciates it." He finished, going back to wiping down a mug.

And there's that pang of guilt again. I quickly swallowed it. "Yeah. No problem." Was all I could reply before I try and scamper off.

"Elizabeth?"

 _DAMNIT! STOP TOYING WITH ME!_

I paused just before the hall that would lead me to the stairs, choosing not to turn back this time.

"Sleep tight." He said, and I can hear the grin on his lips. After a breath, I'm able to look back at him over my shoulder.

It was difficult, looking back at him and remembering his closeness earlier and seeing that easy-going smile on his face now. But, somehow, I managed a smile of my own, "You too. Goodnight."

All at once, I felt like the worst human being on earth and victorious. Meliodas was a criminal. I shouldn't feel the regret I did for lying to him, but I had to know! I had to solve this case despite him.

I just wish it didn't make me feel like a total scumbag.

Once I was upstairs, I closed and locked my bedroom door behind me. I didn't want anyone to walk in on me snooping. I put the basket on my bed, but before I could dig out the file; I chose to fold the towels. In case anyone came looking for them. It took me less than ten minutes, but by the time I was done, my patience was at its limit.

I inspected the envelope which was bursting at the seams, and once I tore it open and spilled its contents, I grinned. Everything I asked for was here. There was a small prepaid phone on top of the pile; nothing glamorous. Just small enough that I'd be able to hide it and use it as needed.

Next, there was a pile of papers fastened together with the picture I had given to Margaret under a paperclip. These must have been Liz's files.

I felt a rush of excitement as I started thumbing through pages.

Only to find that excitement met with confusion.

"These are… police reports." I mumbled to myself, finding a full case report and reading the notes. Flipping to the next page, I found myself losing all of my previous excitement all together as I'm finally face-to-face with cold hard fact: the whole next three pages were a coroner's report.

And Liz's death certificate.

My hand faltered, head and heart both hesitant to continue.

It was a strange feeling, to be dreading the very answers I was so excited for just ten minutes before. It certainly made it hard to read the quickly scribbled notes by the coroner - a Dr. Hendrickson. I knew the name. I'd dealt with him a couple times, especially involving my current case. He seemed a good enough guy from what I could tell during my limited encounters with him - if not a bit creepy at times.

"Damnit…" I sighed heavily, feeling the weight of dread seep into my hands, as if her records themselves were made of lead.

It made sense. It really did. Logically, I knew this was a possibility, but to confirm it, was something else entirely. Like I was intruding.

But I couldn't think like that right now. I forced myself to take a breath before flipping back through the police report. "Decedent was found in an abandoned shipyard along the bay." I read, tapping into my skills as a detective to detach, "Strange place to find a-" I flipped back a couple of pages to find her service records attached as well. They only offered me more confusion. " _Decorated soldier_." I finished, staring back at her picture; studying every detail of her face and the warmth she shared with the happier Meliodas posed next to her.

I scrolled through her military file; it read like a boring paperback novel. By all accounts, she was the ideal soldier. No issues with fellow soldiers, commendations from superiors, smart, not a day of sick leave taken. She seemed… perfect.

Maybe that was the problem.

I moved back to the coroner's report, taking care to examine the attached pictures with each note. Decedent had been found relatively quickly. Rigor mortis had set in throughout the body, so she'd been dead between six and eight hours.

Official cause of death: overdose.

"Overdose? Seriously?" I whispered, checking the noted dark bruises associated with injections to the arm. I'm not sure why it surprised me - most of the cases I'd dealt with where the family claimed the deceased were saints - the problem was drugs.

She just didn't look the type. But I guess, neither did the others.

Most telling though, was the drug she'd overdosed on: XGEN. That drug again… But what did it have to do with everything the sins were doing? So far I'd learned quite a bit about corporate and political corruption and this company funding them all, but nothing seemed to tie back to this drug. Not yet at least.

I thumbed through a couple more pages before a report caught my attention. The original officer had begun looking into someone he'd annotated as "BF" in the notes as a suspect. _BF_ … boyfriend? He'd been looking at Meliodas.

"That's weird," I mumbled as I continued scanning. "The coroner's report didn't leave any room to suggest there had been foul play. If it was an overdose why were they investigating him?"

There had to be something that made them think he could be involved.

I flipped the page and found one more note around the "BF" and how he'd been brought in for questioning, but nothing else. The case had been closed not long after that. The final call being accidental death.

This whole thing was just one big mystery wrapped in another. It gave me more insight into the woman pictured with Meliodas. But it made me question his motives all the more. He'd promised to help me dismantle those responsible for XGEN. Did that mean this is what led him to start the sins? The death of his old flame? To find the people responsible for providing the drugs that killed this woman? Was that really all this was?

Even I flinched at how callous that thought made me seem. _All this was_ … love made people do crazy things all the time. Pain, anger, and hatred made them do worse. In this case, Meliodas' pain and wrath had presumably put three officers in the hospital. I recognized one of the names of the officers listed on the case as being one of the men.

 _What on earth made you so angry that you would hurt others?_

My heart jumped into my throat as a sudden round of knocks came on my door, followed by "Elizabeth? You still up?"

I refrained from cursing out loud as I shoved Liz's files back into the folder and rushed to hide it under my mattress and shoved the little disposable phone into my bra. "Y-yeah! One sec!" I called back, finding myself frantically looking around and then reaching for the closest book and going to the door.

"What's up?" I asked a little more breathy than I would have preferred upon opening to the patient Meliodas in the hall.

He peered in at me curiously, "I'm not bothering you, am I?"

My cheeks heated unprovoked and I waved the book at him, "Oh no, just reading. You startled me is all."

He hummed with a nod as he took in the book. But that curious look only deepened as a grin accompanied it, " _Her Last Vow_?" He read aloud, and I find myself flushing completely. "I didn't take you for the romance type." He observed, and I hate how that cocky look in his eyes reminded me of a few of our more heated encounters.

"What can I say, I'm a sucker for trashy romance novels." I was going to pay for that comment later, I just knew it…

"Duly noted." He responded, and I already regretted this entire exchange. "Well, I came to see if you wanted to go out." His easy tone and relaxed posture told me I wasn't in trouble. But something else had me on edge.

One of these days I'd learn not to give him so many of my reactions. Tonight was not one of them, though, as my face took the hue of the crimson book cover in my hand. "Out? Like… out, out?"

His brow quirked, "Yes, out." He confirmed confidently.

I swallowed, eyes wide like a deer in the headlights, my voice growing higher in pitch, "Out… A-as in… a date, out?"

Meliodas' brows shot up and that damnable grin took on a new brilliance, "If that's what you'd like to call it, I'd be more than happy to oblige."

 _You're a fuckin moron, Elizabeth…_

"N-no! That-that's not… I didn't mean-" I stuttered incoherently, hoping that something, anything would put me out of my misery.

No such luck as the blonde began chuckling at my expense, "Sure you didn't." He mocked with a crooked grin. I fought the urge to throw a fist at him, knowing how well that's worked for me before.

"What _did_ you mean, then?" I asked quickly, crossing my arms and trying not to play into his little games.

He leaned on my door frame, hands tucked into his pockets as he watched me with that smile as he said, "I'm going out to do something potentially illegal."

I don't know what it was - maybe the devilish twinkle in his dark emerald eyes, or the charming cock-sided grin he gave me; but I felt a new kind of heat climb up my body as he finished with, "Thought you might want to tag along."

It was the kind of fire that I would assume a heroine from a trashy romance novel like _Her Last Vow_ might describe when faced with an adventure with the intended love interest. Which was definitely strange - because this wasn't a trashy romance novel and Meliodas was, for all intents and purposes, a gangster, and not a love interest. By any means.

But it was there. A fire building in the pit of my stomach that made me forget the files I had hidden under my bed and the embarrassment I'd felt moments before. A sensation that made me grin back at him and say:

"You're on."

* * *

Dom: *Looks intently at a jumbled, knotted mess of ribbon wrapped around a small gift (and herself). She's somehow used an entire spool despite the fact that the box she's attempting to decorate is no bigger than a softball*

Luv: *walks into room sipping coffee. Tilts her head curiously at Dom's predicament. Opens her mouth then shuts it, shaking her head and sitting on the nearby couch.*

Dom: I don't know what happened. One minute it was easy sailing, the next I was sinking fast. And now I've become one with the present wrapping.

Luv: Some might call that an impressive feat. *sips more coffee and stares at all the ribbon* Not sure that's what I'd call it, but it sure is something.

Dom: Have I found my calling? Was this what I was destined to become? Has my life been leading up to this one moment where I am now but a fantastical adornment made for the sole purpose of beautifying a gift for someone to gleefully tear away on Christmas day?!

Luv: ….. Someone's feeling poetic today.

Dom: I was going more for existential crisis, but whatevs. *Tears herself and the box out of an entirely unnecessary amount of ribbon*

Luv: *blinks and opens mouth to say something and decides against it. again.* Well, suppose I should go on and give that preview. Next time on Don't Trust Me: Potentially illegal indeed! Elizabeth is about to get a taste of what really makes the sins a feared gang. But, when a young man comes calling for help, will she and Meliodas find the next clue to their shared goals?

Dom: *Pulls out a brand new spool of ribbon, a devious smile on her lips as she begins wrapping the present once more* I WILL BEAUTIFY THIS GIFT IF IT IS THE LAST THING I DO!

Luv: You totally got this! *opens a book and continues to drink her coffee* See you guys next chapter! Wishing you all a Merry Christmas!

Dom: *Mumbles a Merry Christmas because she is now wrapped in the ribbon like a mummy*


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

About twenty minutes after leaving the bar, we pulled up underneath a bridge across town and my earlier excitement turned to anxious nerves.

Just what were we doing in such a shady area? Were we meeting someone? Or was Meliodas on to me and what I had hidden underneath my bed?

Was this… was this it for me?

"Come on." Meliodas urged me to follow him out of the car. "He should be here any minute."

"He?" I mumbled to myself as he shut the door. Well, that eased some of my nerves as he all but confirmed we were actually meeting someone.

Though, that didn't mean things couldn't go south for me.

I stayed on guard as I climbed out of the car and walked towards Meliodas' side. "Just who are we meeting in a place like this?"

"You'll see." He told me with a mischievous grin.

About five minutes passed.

"Are you sure we're actually meeting someone here?" I prodded once again. Paitnence wasn't something I was good at to begin with, especially with my nerves already so on edge. "Maybe you got the place wrong."

"I didn't." He assured me with a flat stare. Apparently he didn't appreciate my lack of faith in him.

Just as I was going to question him about this location, a luxury SUV pulled up and I furrowed my brows.

"See." He winked at me as he gestured at the vehicle. "Whaddya I tell ya?"

I rolled my eyes, not bothering to answer him. Instead I studied the large SUV. It's a sleek black and all but screamed that the person inside was wealthy. I shifted on my feet as whoever was driving flashed their lights three times.

Meliodas waited a heartbeat before he put two fingers up and waved them like he were knocking on an invisible door - not long after, the engine turned off. I'm stuck watching him resume his usual stance. Had that been code? I'm almost positive those were tactical hand signals. Not quite the same as those used by the police, but close.

The signal meant "Two allies. All clear."

"You know tactical hand signals?" I asked him curiously, already knowing the answer, but hoping he'd give away more if I caught him of guard in his element.

"When the situation calls for it." He answered with only the slightest tug at the corner of his lips, but not giving me anything more.

And I wouldn't get a chance to try and push it as a tall, well built man stepped out of the driver seat of the SUV.

My mouth dropped as I looked up at him. He wasn't quite as tall as Ban was but he was twice as wide and even underneath the black suit and long curly dark hair, I could tell he was mostly muscle.

I expect him to speak, to give some explanation as to why we were meeting underneath a bridge at this time of night. But the man said nothing. Instead he walked around the vehicle and opened the back door.

An orange haired young man stepped out. A wide grin spread across his face as soon as he saw Meliodas. He strolled right up to us without a care in the world. The man following closely behind as he took in the surrounding area like a vigilant hawk.

 _A security detail,_ I thought to myself. He had to be, dressed like he was and given the amount of money that SUV had to cost. That was one mystery solved. The more important one being just who this kid was and why he was secretly meeting a supposed crime boss under such shady circumstances.

"Meliodas!" The orange haired man reached for the blonde's hand, shaking it vigorously. "So good to see you again! It's been far too long, my friend."

The leader of the Sins chuckled. "Good to see you too. Though," Meliodas frowned lightly as he slid his hands into his pocket, "not the kind of call I like getting."

The youth instantly deflated. "I'm sorry. I didn't know who else to call!"

"It's fine." Meliodas smiled lightly. "That is part of our deal, right?"

"Right!" The orange haired man nodded eagerly.

"Deal?" I asked out-right, not even trying to hide my curiosity at this point and Meliodas passed me a knowing grin. I didn't back down, though. This was just too strange.

And if he wanted to keep all of this from me, he wouldn't have asked if I wanted to tag along.

The guy before us was well dressed - I didn't even have to look at the tag of his suit, I knew it was worth more than a full month's rent at my apartment, and that didn't even include the real leather shoes or the platinum rolex on his wrist. Obviously, the guy came from money. He wasn't half bad looking either - a little on the young side but definitely easy on the eyes.

And speaking of eyes, as if just noticing my presence, his deep lavender gaze brightened even more in the little light we had under the bridge as he turned to me, "Oh, my apologies! I didn't see you there!" He extended his hand to me with a warm smile.

He seemed so familiar now that I'd had a good look at him… where had I seen his face before?

"No problem - I'm Princess." I introduced, taking his hand and only hesitating slightly on the name.

"Oh! Are you related to-"

"No." Both Meliodas and I confirmed, knowing exactly where he was going.

"Oh, I just assumed since-"

"It's a codename." Meliodas offered, quite willingly. Surprising, given the secrecy of this encounter. "But, don't worry about that. You can trust her. She's one of the good guys."

I couldn't help the flare of heat that suddenly erupted over my cheeks as I turned my surprise on the blonde. He had this easy smile as he said it. Not a hint of sarcasm or maliciousness to be found. It was something so small - but it made me feel validated in ways I didn't think I ever would around Meliodas.

Strange how the butterflies I suddenly felt in my stomach both made me feel tingly… and like a complete fraud.

"Good to have you on the team then!" The young man beamed, rubbing the salt in a little deeper as he shook my hand warmly. "My name is Arthur. It's a pleasure to meet you _Princess_."

The name and the face suddenly collided in my head and my mouth fell open, "Wait… Arthur? As in Arthur _Pendragon_?" I asked, finally placing where I'd seen this guy, "As in the heir to the _Pendragon Conglomerate_?"

Arthur gave me something of a sheepish smile, rubbing the back of his neck, "I see my reputation precedes me," he chuckled with a genuine embarrassed air about him.

I stared at him and then Meliodas dumbfounded. Just how many connections did the sins have hidden away? "You have an arrangement with the Vice President of Pendragon Enterprises? Seriously?"

Money didn't even begin to describe the Pendragon family. They were one of the wealthiest in the country. Arthur was the second and youngest son, but he'd already proven himself more than capable of leading the conglomerate into a new age of innovation and growth - which is why his father had announced that Arthur would be taking over once the president decided to retire. I'd read all about it in the paper. There were a number of sources who thought the decision strange - undercutting his oldest son. There was even talks of a litigation because, if memory served, his promotion to President wasn't far off.

Meliodas merely shrugged.

"It's nothing as shady as what you may be thinking." Arthur commented, releasing my hand, "And really, it's the least I could do after the sins saved my life."

I'm starting to lose track of what the sins were. Vigilanties? Superheroes? One minute they were trying to dismantle the criminal underworld and saving people, the next they were blackmailing city officials and causing general mayhem. Almost like antiheroes.

"I wouldn't go that far. Arthur here got himself in a bit of trouble a while back and we stepped in before it could get any worse."

"I see…" I mumbled, giving Arthur a once over, trying to imagine what kind of trouble he could have gotten himself into that would have required the aid of the sins, "So what kind of deal do you have exactly?"

"The monetary kind." The blonde explained simply, "Arthur is the reason we have the funding to do half the things we do. He's also the financial backer to King - I mean _Henry Jones_ ' Tech Venture."

So that's where the money came from. I'd learned of the fake identities King and Diane used for the Party we'd snuck into in order to corner the Mayor's wife - but never really understood how everyone was so convinced by them. A single online search was all it would take… but I suppose given the right tech genius and the financial statements they could create as a venture-capital-backed business, it wouldn't be that difficult to believe.

Even believable enough to fool the cops...

"In return, we act as Mr. Pendragon's… fixers, if you will." He gave me that signature grin and I couldn't help remembering what he'd said to get me to come out with him. _I'm going out to do something potentially illegal…_

Suddenly, I was very wary of what exactly we were here to do.

"Fixers, huh?" My gaze shifted uneasily between the two men, "And what are we here to fix tonight?"

That brightness faded from Arthur's face as I reminded him why he'd met with us to begin with. "Right," He sighed heavily, pulling a series of folded papers from the innermost pocket of his suit jacket. "I'm pretty sure someone within the corporation is siphoning materials and goods from my company and selling them off illegally."

"What kind of goods?" Meliodas took the papers Arthur passed to him, flipping through them quickly before his brow rose, "Arms? You're kidding. I had no idea your company dealt in weaponry."

Meliodas passed the papers to me as Arthur spoke, "We have several focus verticals within the technology industry. Government contracts and acquisitions happens to be one of them."

I only half listened to him explain the company's place in the development and prototyping of new and improved technologies for all manner of military and government use while flipping through the papers in my hands. The first few were a series of patents and government contracts for different weapons - a specialty sighted assault rifle was at the top of the list. The next set of papers were a detailed account of inventory with an indiscernible number of "batches" being re-routed for testing.

The last page was a flagged email - a single line and no other indications of who sent it, or where it was being sent.

 _Piety pays off._

 _Pacifism_

"Do you know who sent this?" I asked, without thinking - interrupting the conversation the men were having.

The young man careened his head before shaking it, "No. It was filtered to our security team after setting off a couple of internal alarms in our servers. It had a virus embedded that made our system think the email was sent from over a thousand of our employee terminals all over the country. We haven't been able to track it back to the source."

I hummed, rereading the email over and over again, "And that's why you assumed it had something to do with the missing weapons."

Arthur nodded. "We've been quiet about all of this so far, so I don't think the sender is aware that we're on to them yet."

"You brought the data, right?" Meliodas asked, and Arthur quickly produced a flash drive, handing it over to him, "Great. I'll get this to Gowther as soon as possible and we can work on figuring out who sent it."

Something about all of this was eating at me. A couple of things that didn't quite make sense. It was obvious this email was sent on purpose - to not only the intended recipient, but also to set off the server alarms. Why else would someone embed a virus like that - other than just covering their tracks? There were a million other ways they could have gotten the message out without involving the company server - ways that would have been far less... conspicuous.

The other was the strange wording in the email.

"What's wrong?"

I looked up from the email to find Meliodas watching me curiously, "You look troubled."

My teeth worried my bottom lip as I returned to my stare-off with the page in my hands - like staring at it long enough would produce the answers I was looking for. "Pacifism."

"What about it?"

"It's a weird way to sign off a message, don't you think?"

The blonde shrugged, "It's probably a fanatic. Someone looking to position themselves with their buyer."

Could it be that simple? No - there was something so blatantly obvious about it. Like it was meant to get someone's attention.

"I don't think that's it," I mumbed. It was a weird title to call oneself, especially given the goods being stolen. What kind of pacifist dealt in firearms? Which reminded me. I'd heard another strange title recently - what was it?

Arthur put a finger to his chin, "Well, Piety means devotion, right? As in devotion to the deal or dealer?"

"I suppose, but most people refer to piety as the devotion to religion-" I'd just looked back up to Arthur when my voice died and someone else's filled my head.

" _She called him by a pet name. Love."_

Why did that seem so strange to me all of a sudden?

It was the way she repeated it. If the mayor's wife was having an affair, why would she so blatantly use a pet name like that? She was just begging to be caught.

But King had been so sure the person - the man - Melascula was speaking to was involved.

" _She never actually used his name. Just that damn pet name."_

King's words replayed again and again. _Love._ Why would she use that one pet name with someone she was supposed to be deeply involved with? Someone she was trying to keep hidden.

Unless, of course, she wasn't speaking with her _lover_. By itself, it hadn't stood out. But now...

"Love… Piety… Pacifism…" I mumbled, then repeated, staring hard at the email printed on the papers in my hands. These three words had something in common - what was it? It was right there on the tip of my tongue... "Love - relationships, feelings, lover? Piety - devotion, godliness. Pacifism -"

"Do no harm?" Meliodas finished for me, confused by my train of thought, and it suddenly clicked for me.

"No - not harm." I clarified as the pieces slowly began to fit together. It was so genius, it was scary. Suddenly, the papers in my hand felt like two-ton bricks, "Kill. Thou shall not kill."

" _Thou shall not kill_?" He mimicked the phrase, a brow raised at me, "What's that?"

Arthur let out a soft chuckle before I could answer, "Have you never heard of the Ten Commandments, Meliodas?"

A pin dropping would have sounded like an explosion in the sudden hush that fell between us. I swallowed, flicking my gaze over to watch the color drain from the blonde's face and his emeralds went wide, turning to the young man, "What did you just say?"

"The Ten Commandments - one of them is the commandment of Pacifism. Thou shall not kill. I'm positive that Love and Piety are commandments as well."

There wasn't even a heartbeat before the blonde turned quickly, intent on getting back to the car, "We have to get this to Gowther. Now." His tone was urgent.

"Meliodas wait!"

"We can't wait! This is exactly what we _were_ waiting for! We have to analyze the data - Gowther will be able to trace it back to the sender. I'm sure of it."

No, this was wrong. This raised all the red flags in my head. And now, I was almost positive I knew whose attention this was supposed to catch - it was so obvious.

I ran to get in his way before he could get any further out of my reach, "Don't you get it? That's exactly what they want!"

His eyes darted back and forth as he searched my face, "What are you talking about?"

"Just listen, alright - the Commandments, if that's who this actually is, have been extremely careful up to this point, right? Why would they send out an email that leads _right to them?_ "

"They're getting sloppy. Desperate because they know we're on to them," He answered quickly and confidently - the same answer I expected him to give.

Unfortunately, in my gut, I could feel he was wrong.

I shook my head, "No - I think this is a red herring. It's too easy. They know we're getting close so they used their own dealings to throw us off the scent." I took a breath, waiting for any indication that he understood what I was implying, but the way he kept glancing to the car behind me said he wasn't sure yet. "Look, something tells me that you'll find someone at the end of these digital breadcrumbs - but its not going to be the Commandments."

The tension building in the space between us was palpable and heavy. It certainly didn't help that he was giving me a look like I was betraying him by keeping him from rushing off. For once I needed him to listen to me - he was too involved. He couldn't see the forest from the trees anymore.

I growled under my breath as the frustration mounted, "Damnit, Meliodas, I get that I haven't been working this case nearly as long as you have, but I'm telling you something doesn't feel right! It's too obvious - even you have to realize that!"

His expression started to change as he finally began to process and consider what I was telling him - even if it was reluctantly at first, "You think the stolen goods are just a patsy, meant to distract us and Arthur while they go after their true objective?"

I nodded as he conveyed my own suspicions, before turning back to look at Arthur - who'd been silent this whole time, "Arthur, is there anything big happening today or tomorrow? Have you noticed anything strange? Anything at all?"

He appeared startled by his sudden inclusion in the conversation and shook his head, "No, nothing, I -" Then he paused. "The only thing I can think of is that we had an emergency team switch for a shipment of classified materials."

"That has to be it, then." A mixture of anticipation and apprehension coursed through my veins. God help me If I was wrong about this... "Where? What time?" I fired of the questions in short bursts. Desperate to move.

Arthur scowled, glancing down at his watch. "Twenty minutes. Down at the docks."

My eyes widened. "We need to move. Now!"

I spun toward Meliodas, anxiously awaiting his decision. Hell, if he wanted he could go chase his wild goose... If he was really in so deep that he couldn't see what was right in front of his face… I'd go to the docks myself.

The blonde stayed silent. Probably weighing the options. I could see it in the way he studied me. Not _really_ looking at me, but at all the pieces I'd laid before him.

"Meliodas," Arthur broke the silence, his voice unsure, "It's your call, but… I think Princess is on to something here. And, well, if she's right, we should probably go."

Another thirty seconds passed before the blonde's face finally set to resolute.

"Alright, Princess." Meliodas finally spoke. His emerald eyes bore into mine, a fire behind them. "We go with your gut on this."

I smile at the small victory.

"Hope you're right." He passed me quickly on his way to climb into the car we'd driven in.

I only nod to myself, not trusting myself to speak as I too climbed in to the car and fastened in.

Because I was hoping for the same thing.

* * *

Luv: *walks into the room looking like a zombie and moans* Cooofffeeeee….. Neeeds it…

Dom: *Looks up from her spot on the floor in front of the TV, where she's sat playing the newest Kingdom Hearts game since she bought it, sporting some serious baggage under her eyes* Cooofffffeeeeee? Coffee.

Luv: *turns head slightly towards Dom's direction* …. Co… coffee…?

Dom:*stands slowly, shuffling for the kitchen* …..Coff. Cofffffeee. *Nods head*

Luv: Coooffeee *drags feet as she follows Dom to the kitchen*

Dom: *Pulls multiple bags of grinds from the cabinet, with the energy of a sloth* Coffee? Coff...Coffee?

Luv: *examines the bags and pokes one, nodding sluggishly* C-cof..fe...fe… *goes and collapses on kitchen chair*

Dom: *Uses entire body to nodd, making a pot of coffee so delightful, it fills the whole house with the joy of life* C-C-Coff… Coffee?

Luv: *perks head up* Coffee? *struggles to find a mug in the cupboards. Fills it and doesn't speak until it's half way gone. A heavy sigh of satisfaction leaving her lips* Coffee.

Dom: *Follows suit, filling a mug and downing a cup before it cools.* Coffee.

Luv: *finishes cup and refills.* Thank god for coffee. *tears began to fall from her eyes* It's so beautiful. *rubs cheek affectionately against cup*

Dom:*Nods in agreement* Welp, now that we're not the living dead anymore, I guess I should give a preview of the next chapter. Next Time on Don't Trust Me: The Commandments have finally reared their head and made a move and Elizabeth, Meliodas, and Arthur have a shipment to catch before it's too late - at least that's what Elizabeth hopes. Will her hunch be right, and what kind of dangers lurk around the docks?

Luv: *refills her third cup* Was that Kingdom Hearts I saw in there? *begins shuffling back to the other room* I've been _dying_ to play.

Dom: YYYAAASSSS! *Dashes back to the living room, and starting a new save file for Luv and thrusting the controller in her hand* PLAY PLAY PLAY! *Waves haphazardly at the readers* See you guys next time!


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

We followed Arthur's SUV at breakneck speeds to the private commercial docks. Luckily, this late at night, there were little chances we'd have to worry about traffic. The whole time, Meliodas kept Arthur on the phone, relaying strict instructions.

I'd seen Meliodas lead. From the day I'd entered the bar with him, I'd seen what I'd only recently learned was his natural propensity for leadership. But this was a whole new version of him I'd never seen before. It was the kind of leadership and situational awareness I'd expect from someone in a warzone - someone who'd been tried and tested in a military setting. We were going in blind, and Meliodas was the commanding officer.

It took us ten minutes to get to the docks, but we pulled over and parked a few blocks away to be safe.

If this was the intended target of the Commandments, we didn't want to alert anyone by just pulling in.

"Alright," Meliodas began the moment we all gathered up around the car, popping the trunk and pulling a pair of gloves and a large wire cutter, "Princess and I are going to-"

"I'm coming too." Arthur interrupted, much to the dismay of his bodyguard.

A sentiment Meliodas seemed to shared as he peered hard at Arthur, an unusual seriousness in his tone, "If Princess is right about this, then things could get dangerous."

"I'm aware of that." The young man asserted, "Please, Meliodas. I need to be apart of this. Surely you can understand that."

Again, Meliodas remained silent. He watched Arthur for a few long moments, like he was weighing his options before a heavy sigh escaped him, "Fine." He relented.

The young man beamed, but Meliodas was quick to make his stance clear, "You'll be hanging back, though. Don't put yourself in any unnecessary danger, got it?"

Arthur nodded quickly.

The blonde sighed again, looking like he'd aged ten years in the span of the last ten minutes.

"Slader," Arthur turned to his security detail, addressing the man for the first time. "Stay with the cars. You know the drill."

"Yes, Sir." Slader dipped his head in acknowledgement.

I bit the inside of my lip to keep from commenting.

Meliodas shut the trunk of his car silently. Barely a click was heard as he pressed his weight down against it with practiced ease. A moment later he's around the car and waving at Arthur and I to follow.

The tension in the air was high as we strolled down the streets. Meliodas managed to hide the wire cutters within his jacket. A good thing, as we passed a few drunk pedestrians along the way. They honestly probably wouldn't have known any different. Just a few people making their way home after a long night.

After what felt like hours, but is only a few minutes, we arrive at the docks. I could see a few of the massive container cargo ships docked at the port in the distance, lights and the low echo of machinery warning of those who I hoped would be too busy to notice a couple of people sneaking about. Heavy chain link fence topped with barbed wire blocked off the entire area, with 'No Trespassing' signs posted every few feet. I had to appreciate Meliodas' foresight to bring the cutters with us.

We made our way to a section of fence covered by foliage, crouching in the cover it provided as Meliodas began clipping chain links, peeking up every once in a while to look out for trouble.

"Are you armed?" He asked softly as he clipped away, sparing me no look until he'd finished and there was room for him to push through, leaving the cutters hidden in the foliage and holding the opening for Arthur and I.

I glanced at the blonde speculatively as I passed through and he let the fence fall back into place, "You told me you were going out to do something potentially illegal." I grinned, pulling back my jacket to reveal the loaded holster on my hip, "Of course I'm armed."

We crouched low as we followed the fence to the water, quietly sneaking through rows of private boats bobbing peacefully in the bay.

"Where is the shipment being held?" Meliodas asked over his shoulder as we came to the commercial boats and the beginnings of rows of warehouses and containers awaiting shipment.

There were no signs of movement in our area - not a single night guard walking the docks, just the continued sounds of those working the ships much further up ahead. But that didn't mean they weren't around.

Or worse - the very people we were trying to stop.

Arthur pointed across the way to a larger warehouse along the bay, "That one, I think. Number twelve." he whispered.

"You think?" I quizzed quietly, receiving a shrug.

"It's hard to tell in the dark - and I've only ever visited through the entrance, so I'm a little turned around."

"We'll find out soon enough. Keep low. No telling who we'll run into out here." Meliodas commented and we were off again, moving quickly through darkened areas between the docks and buildings until we'd reached our goal.

Luckily for us, each of the large metal buildings were labeled along the side, making it clear when we'd found our mark.

Meliodas stopped, hiding behind a stack of metal beams, peeking over to assess the area, glancing down at his watch, "For a shipment meant to go out in the next three minutes, it sure is quiet over there," he mumbled, coming to crouch back down next to me, "Are you sure it was supposed to leave tonight?"

Arthur nodded, "Of course!"

Meliodas' glance flickered to me as I felt a wave of heat over my face. I could practically feel his thoughts bombard me - his mind second-guessing his decision to follow my gut. But he didn't say it. Instead he peered over the blockade again, "Let's get a closer look."

All at once, I'm grateful and anxious, but I nod anyways, reaching under my jacket to unclip my holster in case I needed to quickly pull my gun.

Each of us quickly snuck across the open expanse to press up against the warehouse. We were at the back, as far as I could tell by the fewer areas of tread in the gravel. But, we were in luck; there was a door that opened easily to allow us inside.

"This warehouse is supposed to be secure…" Arthur grumbled softly.

"If I were you, I'd fire whoever made those arrangements." I mumbled back before being hushed by the blonde leading our raid.

We froze, listening to the chorus of chirping crickets outside and nothing else.

"I'm going inside to take a look around. Protect Arthur." Meliodas commanded, and just like that, he darted inside the building.

"Meliodas!" I hissed after him, not daring to raise my voice any higher.

The blonde didn't turn back. Either he hadn't heard, or didn't care that I was calling after him. I turned to Arthur. He appeared to be in much the same mood as me. Confused and just a little terrified.

I shook the feeling away. I was a cop. What did I have to fear?

 _I'm going out to do something potentially illegal..._ Meliodas' voice sprung up from my memory and own repeated words from earlier.

Right. There was that I suppose.

"What do we do, Princess?" Arthur whispered quietly, a hint of alarm in his voice. His plum colored eyes were no longer looking at me. Instead he seemed to be surveying the surrounding area, just as concerned as I was that someone would find us. We were sitting ducks out in the open like this.

It made me wonder how often he did things like this. Probably as much as someone of his standing should - which was never.

"We follow him." I stated the obvious. It wasn't the smartest idea, but Meliodas left us with little choice. And I hated to admit how much safer I felt knowing Meliodas was nearby.

As silent as possible, we made our way inside after him. Oddly enough, I couldn't see Meliodas anywhere. Did he move that fast? Or did something besides the cargo catch his attention? Despite not knowing where the leader of the Sins had went, I headed for the cover of darkness the warehouse provided. Arthur staying right on my heel.

We slipped further inside - crates, pallets and packages upon packages stacked in varying heights made the place look like an industrial maze. One misstep and we'd either run into Meliodas, or someone less happy to see us snooping around.

Arthur was my best ticket for explaining to a guard what we were doing here. But there was no telling what kind of action the wrong person would take once they knew the jig was up and that someone had caught on to their little scheme.

Which I still hadn't figured out yet.

The emergency shift in personel for the "classified materials shipment" Arthur had mentioned meant that was the true target, right?

I stopped and looked back to ask Arthur about it - and immediately heard the low murmur of voices somewhere else.

I press my finger to my lips, signaling Arthur to keep quiet. My eyes survey the room in an effort to find us the best vantage point. We stayed close to the back wall until a slim set of stairs off to the far right caught my attention. I followed the stairs up, seeing another level and even more boxes. Deciding that would be our most advantageous spot, I led Arthur towards them.

My senses were on high alert, searching for any indication that the voices realized we were there. I went up the stairs first, thankful for the large stacks of containers blocking most of us from view. Still, the source of the voices was a mystery and it was setting me even more on edge.

When we reach a spot that allowed us to see most of the warehouse, we paused. I anxiously scanned the rows in between, _still_ not finding anyone. My teeth nawing at my lip. I was at a loss for what to do. No Meliodas. No bad guys. Was my gut wrong after all?

Then finally- _finally_ \- a flash of movement caught my attention. Meliodas. He's practically right below us. A few moments later, he's three rows away. His hands are in one of the boxes, filtering through it's contents like we aren't in the middle of a high risk situation.

My blood boiled and I opened my mouth to call out to him.

And then a heard the loud cock of a gun.

Meliodas stopped moving, but eventually, slowly lifted his hands in the air. He turned around to, I assumed, address his attacker. But I couldn't hear or see much of anything in the darkness. Not at first anyways. By moving around another stack of crates, we were given a much better view, and what I could see now was two thugs with rifles. Then a third body stepped out of the shadows, just enough so that I could see their shape, but not much else.

"Oh, no," Arthur breathed next to me. I tore my gaze from the scene below to stare at him. His eyes were blown wide in what I could tell was the start of panic. "What do we do?"

I place my finger to my lips, urging him to stay quiet, and hopefully calm him down. My hand is reaching for the cellphone I'd moved from my bra to my jacket pocket a second later. But I stopped myself. Arthur stared at me, waiting for instructions. For me to do something.

But I was at a loss. I couldn't pull out my burner phone here. If we made it out of this whole thing unscaved, Meliodas would ask questions. And Arthur would answer them without a second thought.

"Give me your phone." I demanded quietly, extending the hand near my side out to him instead.

"What?"

"Your phone." I repeated hurriedly. "You have one, don't you?"

His brows furrowed. "Of course I do." He reached into his pockets, eyes back to the scene going on below. "What are you going to do?" He offered the device to me.

I took the phone quickly, dialing the number I knew by heart while looking over nearby crates for anything that would help.

The phone rang three agonizing times… "Come on...please pick up…" I whispered, glancing up to confirm Meliodas was still at gunpoint. The indiscernible chatter of the figures who'd approached him echoing and bouncing off the walls to cover the sound of my searching.

Then finally, "Detective Howzer speaking."

 _Thank fucking god._

"Howzer, listen-"

"Elizabeth?! I was-!"

"Shh!" I hushed him, signaling for Arthur to crouch lower and follow me as we moved to the next set of crates, "I need you to listen, alright?"

"Why are you whispering? What's going on?"

"How many cruisers are in the area of the commercial docks?"

"At the bay? I don't know, I can check. Are you going to tell me what the hell is going on?"

"The cruisers, Howzer?" I urged, ignoring his request, before the crate to my left caught my attention.

On the outside it was labeled "fragile", with the logo and name of _Pendragon Enterprises_ burned into the wood. Carefully, I lifted the wood cover panel to find impact cases nestled neatly inside, surrounded by foam peanuts.

I took one of the cases, handing it to Arthur so I could close the wooden lid back without any noise and turned my attention back to the package. We placed it on the ground between us. Putting my hand over the clasp to muffle the sound as I opened the lid, I found four cushioned rifle laser sights tucked carefully inside. I grinned, quickly going to retrieve another case from the crate and passed it to Arthur - who starred dumbstruck between me and the sights.

"Looks like a couple are in the vicinity. Maybe ten minutes away at most," Howzer finally confirmed and I frowned. Ten Minutes was a long time when there was a gun trained on someone, "Now, what's this all about?" he continued, but I couldn't indulge him.

I had to come up with a way to get Meliodas out of this without anyone being shot full of holes. And I had to do it fast.

"Put out an alert - immediate response. Shots fired at warehouse twelve on the docks." I saw the concerned glance from Arthur out of the corner of my eye as I snuck past and started placing the rifle sights on crates and lining them up as best as I could at the figures below.

"Shot's fired? Are you serious? Is anyone hurt?"

"Just do it! I promise I'll call you back and explain everything!" And with that, I hung up. With an alert like that out, hopefully we would be able to cut ten minutes down significantly.

Now, to get a look at our unwelcome guests.

I positioned myself behind a crate closer to the edge of the platform, leaning on it to stabilize myself.

There were three in total - the two with their semi-automatic rifles on Meliodas were both masked, but the third - the one who seemed to be calling the shots - was not. From where I'd positioned myself, I could make out some of the man's features - most notably, what appeared to be jet-black hair. Reminding me of the temporary dye Meliodas had used for his disguise when confronting the Mayor's wife. But aside from his stature and the hair, I couldn't make out much more.

Damn. Too dark.

No time to dwell on it.

I pulled back, careful not to make any sound as I came to sit on my knees, motioning for Arthur to come closer, "Alright, do exactly as I say." an order which I received an eager - or possibly terrified - nod to. "When I give you the signal, I want you to quickly turn on the lasers on each of the sights I set up over there," I pointed to the other five sights set up at varying distances back towards the crate I started with, "Do you understand?"

He nodded again, this time with a bit more confidence in his face. Without hesitation, he snuck back towards the other sights, waiting on my signal.

"Well, I suppose this is it then, hmm? You have to know that I can't just let you walk away. Nothing personal - You're just bad for business." I heard the voice much more clearly now that I wasn't moving around. It wasn't a voice I recognized at all, but it was one I planned on committing to memory.

That was, If we made it out of this.

I didn't wait to see if Meliodas would respond. I turned on the laser still in my possession and slowly ran the sight down to rest squarely on the man's chest making sure to catch the attention of not only Meliodas but also the armed goons who suddenly seemed frantic.

I was a good shot. Not the best in the force, but certainly not the worst. But, If I'd had a rifle behind this sight - it would have been a dead shot to the heart.

"Maybe not." I heard Meliodas' cocky grin in his tone and that was my cue. I gave the signal to Arthur and as instructed, I watched five other red dots light up the man's chest. "You really should have checked the rest of the warehouse. You might have been able to spare yourself the ambush." the blonde sin boss mocked.

A ballsy thing to do when the only real guns in the room were in the hands of the enemy.

The man looked around slowly, as did his men, "I wouldn't move around too much. At least one of my guys up there has quite the twitchy trigger finger." Meliodas warned, and I pulled my gun. If this didn't work, I would need it.

 _Come on… just a few more minutes…_

There was a scoff from below, "You're bluffing."

I cocked my gun as quietly as possible.

"Am I?" Meliodas shrugged, keeping his hands raised, but if he was tense, his body certainly didn't show it. "Want to test your theory? Cause I've got six guys upstairs who I guarantee will shoot you before your guys can shoot me." he shrugged softly, "You know… nothing personal."

The tension was palpable - time ticking slower and slower.

There was a long silence before the man started to chuckle softly and he slowly shook his head, "You always did play dirty. Always playing your cards so close to the vest."

This was taking too long. He wasn't buying it.

I'd have to do something. I hated it, but I was running out of options. I'd have to take the shot before the guy could bark an order. This was a hostage situation now. And Meliodas was too valuable to me.

I lined up my shot - squaring it up with the red dot I'd trained on the man's chest and poised my finger on the trigger.

"Boss!" One of the goons' urgent voice caught me before I could fire. His attention on the entrance had everyone else's turning as well. I couldn't see outside the walls of the warehouse from my vantage point, but I could hear what had everyone else downstairs on edge.

The distinct sound of quickly approaching sirens.

Despite the relief that flooded me, I didn't let my guard down. There was still time for this to go south.

"Well? What now? Shall we leave something interesting for the cops to find, or shall we go our separate ways?" The blonde provoked as the sirens grew louder. "It's your move."

The way the man continued to regard Meliodas despite the swarm of officers coming to rain down on them had me wondering if he was actually considering a full-on shoot out.

He waited so long that his men started glancing between each other and getting fidgety. I almost didn't hear the scoff from the man as he finally called off his men and they released their sights on Meliodas - intent on making a quick get away before the cops could show.

"This isn't over, Meliodas. You're going to regret this." I heard the black-haired man warn as he disappeared out of the building.

But not before the approaching red and blue lights illuminated part of his face for me to see. It was hard to tell exact age from the distance and lack of decent light. But he didn't look much older than Meliodas did. If I had to guess, I would have even pegged him younger.

But even at this distance… there was something about his face and cold, malicious features that seemed… oddly familiar.

I shook my head as the sirens grew even louder. They were close. Too close. Meliodas couldn't be seen here. I waved Arthur over and we both sprinted down the stairs, "Meliodas!" I called out, and he met us at the back of the warehouse where we'd made our entrance. His features brighter than I would have anticipated.

"We have to get out of here without being seen, or else there will be hell to pay."

I didn't need to say any more. Meliodas took the lead, sneaking us back the way we'd came as quickly and quietly as we could.

None of us saying a word until we'd reached the fence and made a break for the road and the cars at full sprint.

Slader met us by the cars, his gaze concerned as he eyed us panting breathlessly, "I saw the police lights. What happened?"

Meliodas shook his head as he bent over, trying to catch his breath. I watched him speculatively. Unsure of what to expect. Until he threw me for a loop and started laughing. Softly, nervously at first, then growing. "Genius. That's what." He beamed.

Arthur too began shaking his head - the expression on his face relieved, yet disbelieving, "It was all Princess. I was completely useless."

I caught the surprised look Meliodas shot me at hearing that out of the corner of my eye as I approached Arthur, "Nonsense. I couldn't have done it without you." I smiled, offering him his phone back.

"Not to interrupt, but it won't be long before those officers come back out to scout the area." Slader interjected.

He was right. We needed to be scarce. Before we dispersed, Meliodas promised he'd get in touch with Arthur before long.

With that, we drove our separate ways.

* * *

Dom: *Stands outside in what can only be categorized as "spring attire" despite the snow falling and building up to her knees, she shivers violently, but does not budge*

Luv: *peaks out the door with a concerned expression * Uh….. Dom dear… whatcha doing?

Dom: *Sniffles, finding icicles growing from her nose* I'm tired of this mother effing snow in this mother effing spring. Therefore, I am willing it away by sheer force of will. *Glares out into the continued snowfall with intensity.*

Luv: oh… *walks out to join her* you know this is only second winter right? We still have false spring and third winter to get through before mud season.

Dom: DAMNIT! I FORGOT ABOUT FALSE SPRING AND THIRD WINTER! NOOOOOOOOOOO! *Falls dramatically into the snow*

Luv: *sighs before dropping to the ground to rub soothing circles on Dom's back* Next Time on Don't Trust Me: Elizabeth had spent the last two weeks getting to know the sins - unintentionally growing closer to them little by little. But she never dreamed she'd be this close. A moment is all it takes to turn everything she's known on its head.

Dom: It's really cold out here… *mumbles into the snow*

Luv: *helps Dom out of the snowbank* how about we head inside for some coffee hmm?

Dom: COOOOFFFFFEEEEE…. *Follows love like she were a pied piper*

Luv: See you guys next chapter!


	26. Chapter 26

WARNING: This chapter contains content that is rated M for Mature.

 **Chapter 26**

Meliodas and I had stayed quiet the entire ride back to the bar.

The rush of adrenaline never once leaving me as we sped down the highway. I was still on high alert. Expecting the man and his goons to come chase us down at any moment.

Luckily, we didn't run into another soul on the road all the way back.

It was well after three in the morning by the time we parked the car and walked through the bar's doors. Both of us planting our backs against the door frame to steady us. Both staring unseeing and equally unbelieving of everything that had transpired.

Hesitantly, I peaked at him, he following suit, looked to me -

And we both burst into a fit of laughter.

It took a few minutes before either of us could form a full sentence. We would begin but the fear induced giggles would overtake us again and again until we couldn't breathe.

"I can't believe we just did that…" I panted.

"You're telling me." He blinked a couple of times, "I almost got shot." He said, as if it had just occurred to him.

I nodded, but couldn't form any thoughts in my own shock.

Eventually, Meliodas turned to look at me again, "Hey," he asked, waiting for me to look up at him, "Want a beer?"

I stared at him incredulously before the laughter escaped me once more. That was his answer for everything it seemed.

But after everything that had happened, even I was looking forward to a pint. I nodded in my chuckle, following him to the bar and finding my place in the closest bar stool at the end.

He poured us both a glass before coming back around to stand next to me, leaning on the bar and taking a long sip before speaking again, "That was way too close for comfort."

"Yeah… what the hell was all that?"

"Exactly what you thought. You were right." He chuckled, as if tickled by the idea, "I'm glad we went with your gut… annnd," He drawled, "Sorry for doubting you. Occupational hazard."

Yet another victory. I let a small grin take over my expression before I found another question spilling from me - something that had been eating at me, "So? Was it them? Did you know that guy? He seemed pretty talkative."

Meliodas shook his head, "No…" He answered without looking at me, "He was just a thug. A hired hand for the Commandments."

"A hired thug who knew your name." I quizzed, only to receive a dismissive shrug.

"Unfortunately, my reputation precedes me. A lot of thugs know who I am. And I haven't exactly been inconspicuous about who I am when it comes to the Commandments. Helps my reputation."

That was fair. The goon who'd tried attacking us at the Mayor's gala had known his name too, as well as the supposed reputation he seemed to have. "Fair enough," I took another sip of my drink, finding it did little to relieve the built up adrenaline.

Meliodas began chuckling again, "I can't get over the stunt you pulled. Laser pointers… fucking laser pointers. And then I thought he was on to us, you," He laughed again, " You called in reinforcements?"

I couldn't help the grin on my face, "I called in a tip. Of a shooting at the warehouse."

The blond's brow's shot up and I rolled my eyes, "Don't worry. I restricted the number before calling. No one can trace it back to Arthur or You."

The man simply shook his head as he watched me, "Fucking genius." He repeated, taking a moment to soak in everything, "You saved my ass back there."

His tone matched the sheer surprise he'd shown when Arthur had given me all the credit back at the docks.

And for some reason, that appreciation made me unusually shy as I tucked my hair behind my ear, hoping the heat I felt in my cheeks wasn't nearly as obvious to him as it was to me, "I couldn't just stand by and let you get shot, could I?"

Why was I feeling so fluttery all of a sudden?

I could feel him watching me and that made me even more aware of the heat flaring in my face. And of the proximity of him to my chair. It made me anxious in a away I couldn't really explain. I wanted to hide away but I also didn't want to leave.

"Elizabeth?"

I didn't even hesitate to turn to him, completely taken by the sudden shift in tone and the unusual sincerity of my name in his voice.

Faster than I could blink, Meliodas had leaned in and planted his lips on mine, muffling my soft gasp of surprise.

Soft - surprisingly soft... that's all I registered before he pulled away; but not far enough as my body was suddenly aware of the heat of his near mine.

My eyes fluttered open - having closed at some point against my will, and I watched him as he gazed back at me - his emeralds a much darker hue, "S-sorry," He stuttered, as if just coming to realize what he'd done, "I… That was… to thank you. For uh… saving me - again." He clarified, clearing his throat, but his tone was husky and unsure.

Again? Oh… right… the guy at the party.

I nodded softly, "Of… of course." I'm not sure if I was agreeing with him or accepting this strange form of gratitude. My brain was having a real hard time finding a reason to want to move away - or make any decisions at all, for that matter.

He continued searching me before his adam's apple bobbed with a heavy swallow, "We should uh - we should stop this. I-I should… step away." He chuckled dryly, but his expression didn't change. It was like he was trying to convince himself of something.

"Right." I agreed without even really understanding what 'this' was, but I could feel a heavy fog in my head keeping the rest of me rooted to my chair.

Why was he so close? And… why didn't I care? Why didn't I care that I found his woodsy smell so intoxicating? Or that I found the light green speckles in his eyes mesmerizing? Why was my stomach doing flips?

"Cause this is... a really - bad idea." He continued, as if more arguing with himself than with me. His words said one thing, but his deep breathy voice and the way his eyes seemed to dance over my features said something completely different.

The things I would have given to be able to see what was going through his head that would make him look so... tempted...

I swallowed hard, my mouth like a desert despite the beer I'd been drinking, "The worst." I confirmed - and yet, I didn't believe the words coming out of my own mouth.

We stayed like that a moment - a few heartbeats that seemed to stretch out for forever.

I'm not sure when the switch flipped.

Maybe it was the sudden devilish up-turn of his lips before they collided with mine once more, or perhaps it was the fire in my core taking control - but neither of us could hold back any longer.

It was a frenzy of breathless kisses and hands grabbing greedily at the other. A flurry of movements that took us from the bar, stumbling up the stairs, and to his room - I think it was his room… did that matter? I found that I didn't particularly care.

I wasn't thinking straight. My adrenaline-shot, lust-fogged mind told me this was a lapse in judgement. My pounding heart said it was divine intervention. My body said _fuck thinking straight_.

I found myself allowing the blonde to drag me up roughly against the door the moment it closed and breathlessly plunging back into a kiss that had me reeling. I felt his rough hands trace up my sides; cupping the back of my head, the small of my back, pulling me close.

I wasn't the kind of person who thought about sex often - preferring to focus on my career rather than relationships. That physical connection wasn't something I craved like others seemed to. It was a nice perk - a rare indulgence.

But I never needed lips devouring my own. I never needed the sensation of tongues gliding over one another. I certainly never needed the sensual shot of electricity up my spine as Meliodas pressed himself against me, his hand slipping from my back to my rear - clawing greedily at it; like he'd die if he didn't have contact with my skin soon.

I had never needed any of that before, but I certainly needed it now.

In those desperate moments, I learned a lot about Meliodas. Like how remarkably talented his fingers were. Somehow, despite our urgency, he became more skilled in the heat of passion, deftly removing my jacket - dropping it unceremoniously to the floor, unclipping and dropping my holster, undoing buttons to my blouse without sending them flying, smoothing rough fingertips over every inch of bared skin. All the while, entertaining my lips with deep kisses and nips.

It was good that the bed had been close. The floor would have been a poor choice considering the hardwood, but I couldn't take my mind - or hands, or mouth, for that matter - away from Meliodas long enough to move anywhere but where he led me.

Now, half naked, stretched out on his bed, the blonde leaned over me; shirt undone, belt and pants unbuttoned, revealing where the lines of his hips led. Breathless and slick with want, those emeralds bore into me and I thought I might drown in the lust they stirred within my core.

I didn't recognize my own voice. It had been some time since I'd heard it dripping with pleasure - though I'd never heard myself quite like this. It was animalistic, gasps tearing from my throat, desperate panting breaths. Meliodas' hands massaged my tender flesh, scraped my stomach with his nails, sliding his fingers down my thighs, all the while taking pieces of clothing from me as he went.

He traveled the length of me slowly, appreciatively, allowing me to draw my own nails down his chest. His voice strange and addicting when tempered with lust: deeper, rougher, punctuated in needy growls.

He grinned wolfishly at me, pulling back to shrug off his shirt and pants - and I was left to admire him. The curvature of a man who knew the discipline and routine of the military. Lean and muscled and sexy in every sense of the word and lacking in no way. How had I never noticed?

I found out quickly that he was far more adept at teasing me where words were not concerned; driving me wild with every touch, every lick, every time he pressed against my most sensitive parts. It was… intense. Maddening. Every movement, every stroke - I wrapped my legs around him, pulling our bodies tight.

Slick flesh rocked and slid together. Skin, and hair, all growing more wet and hotter as we moved. Finding new depths with each desperate thrust.

It still wasn't enough. I would buck my hips to meet him, earning me lusty pants of my name. It was hot. It was so hot I couldn't breathe, couldn't think, nothing but the hard rocking motion between us and the growing need for release in my core.

I probably screamed. I know I screamed. Was this room soundproof? I didn't know, nor did I care. Part of me hoped the others were still gone. But right now, there was nothing but the heat, the cries escaping my throat, and the sheer rush of release and pleasure.

I breathed.

I felt feverish, and soaked, and exhausted. Years of tension falling away from me, leaving me light as a feather. I almost wanted to cry.

Opening my eyes, I found Meliodas in much the same condition. The only difference was the tender way he watched me unravel beneath him. When I'd come back to earth, he leaned into me gently, and I kissed him back - the sensation sweet and soft in comparison to the carnal dance we'd done.

I don't remember drifting to sleep. But when the golden rays of morning came through the window to wake me, I felt more rested than I had in the longest time. I woke to Meliodas laying propped up and watching me, grinning the moment our eyes met.

"Morning Princess. Sleep well?" he asked me slyly and my mood could not be ruined. I smiled impishly as I snuggled into the comforter.

"It was alright." I teased, finding a small flash of pride in the crooked look he gave me in response. "It would have been better if I had gotten cleaned up before falling asleep, though," I admitted. I felt sticky.

The blonde hummed, "I do have a shower, you know. You could hop in with me. I was just thinking I could use one too. Can't promise we'd get very clean though." His fingers had started to trace up and down my exposed arm - immediately sparking that want deep within me with his invitation.

How could I possibly say no?

We spent more time in the shower than we should have. The water ran cold long before we were done.

I was starting to wonder if I'd ever get tired. We just kept going, taking our passion from the cold water to the bathroom sink - driven by an unquenchable lust.

It was only after I was wrapped in a towel that I even started to contemplate leaving. My mind and body still blissfully buzzed from my time with Meliodas. I left him in the bathroom as I lazily began to braid my wet hair off to the side. The few hair products i had were back in my room.

I sighed heavily as I realized that I would have to leave eventually. That our night and morning of passion were over and we had to get back to the real world. Back to my case.

Meliodas watched me with a small smile as I began to gather my things.

"Sure you can't stay a little longer… just like that?" His head was tilted back against the bathroom door frame he propped up against as he watched me in my borrowed towel. It was the first time I truly felt like someone was admiring me. Quirks and all. And it was clear by the dark tint his emeralds gave off that he would gladly go another couple of rounds if given the chance.

And as much as I wanted to stay - to indulge in him further, it wouldn't be long now before someone came looking for one or both of us.

I smiled over my shoulder, unable to resist the urge to take him in in all his towel-wrapped glory, "Maybe next time," I promised, using his own words from our first encounter against him as I turned back to the door and opened it without much thought.

Maybe I should have had Meliodas check to make sure the coast was clear. Maybe I should have just taken him up on his offer. Hindsight is always 20/20 isn't it?

Standing like a wall in front of me, hand raised and poised to knock was the white-haired bar cook. His scrutiny felt like fire as he scanned me. "You've got to be kidding me…" He mumbled more to himself than to me.

I opened my mouth to explain, but that boat had already sailed. I was in a towel for crying out loud.

"Taking the walk of shame, huh?" He crossed his arms, but even his presence couldn't kill the mood I was in.

I found that spark of retaliation in the form of a little smirk, "I don't have any shame." I responded confidently, only to have both him and Meliodas behind me chuckle.

"You don't say," Ban looked me over once more.

I bit my lip before I could dig myself any deeper, "Well… if you'll excuse me…" I pushed past him and quickly escaped to my room, closing the door behind me, but not before I heard Ban comment, "What the hell you smilin for?"

My face flushed, back meeting the harsh wood of the door as I leaned against it. "Oh god…" Slipped through my lips quietly.

The realization of last nights events were slowly seeping into my skin as my mind was finally clear. The late night mission. Meeting Arthur. The warehouse. The thugs. Meliodas.

 _Fuck._ I… I slept with Meliodas.

A hand ran down my face. I shook my head. This wasn't good. Not at all.

Part of me knew last night was a one time deal. Just an adrenaline rush after a high stakes situation. But the other part of me knew that wasn't quite right. If that had been true then this morning wouldn't have happened. I wouldn't have woken up slowly, content like I did. I _should_ have bolted from the room and pretended like nothing happened. I should regret it.

But I didn't.

And I definitely should.

I just slept with a criminal. A man who was supposed to be helping me with a case. An important case that my entire career currently depended on. The whole thing had suddenly become extremely delicate. One wrong move and everything would fall apart.

Panic was beginning to set in and I had to shake it away.

No, this was fine. No one but Me, Meliodas and now Ban knew. We could keep this under wraps and we could go back to how things were before. Right.

Deciding that was a problem for later, I pushed off the door and headed to my own bathroom. I busied myself with my morning routine and got dressed for the day.

The next hour passed in a blur.

Diane gushed about her date night with King while we readied the bar. Something about how romantic it was and he took her out to the place they first met or something and ended up… somewhere. I hadn't really been paying very much attention, honestly. I tired. It was an easy distraction form my own thoughts. But I couldn't focus.

The burnette noticed my lack of response and pursed her lips, openly pouting that I wasn't paying attention. She attempted to figure out what I ended up doing with my night. To which I simply shrugged with a non committal response. Diane left me alone after that with a dramatic roll of her eyes.

I felt bad about it, but my mind was still so preoccupied with thoughts of my own night.

Thankfully the bar opened not too long after.

I distracted myself with serving customers until a woman covered from head to toe in black, including a hat and sunglasses stepped in. The lavender haired woman seemed on a mission as she strolled straight up to the bar and plopped down in a chair. She didn't even spare a glance my way as she waited impatiently for someone to talk to her. I debated letting one of the Sins handle her. She obviously wasn't in a good mood and after the morning I'd had, I wasn't sure that I could give her the kindness I should.

But seeing as everyone else was busy, I walked up to her anyway.

"Good morning," I greeted generaillicaly, "can I… Jericho?"

My mouth dropped open as I realized just who the woman at the bar was.

Jericho Knight. A criminal defense lawyer and a damn good one at that. She helped keep many innocent and not so innocent people out of jail with her quick thinking and slightly intimidating nature. This wasn't a woman you wanted to mess with.

"What… what are you doing here?" I breathed, unable to process the implications of her showing up at the Boar Hat on a Sunday.

She looked me up and down before scoffing. "What do you think?"

I didn't get a chance to respond before Ban stepped out of the kitchen, drawing her attention. The white haired man grinned crookedly at the pair of us.

"Well hey there, Jerry Curl." He sauntered up to us and leaned over the counter. "Whaddya got for me today?"

Jericho gritted her teeth as she pulled out a large manila envelope and passed it to Ban.

The Sin of Greed let out a low whistle as he tugged it out. "Wouldja look at that!~" Excitement danced in his eyes as they roamed the paper. "Boss! Get over here." He shouted across the room to get the blonde's attention.

"Hey there, Jerri," Meliodas showed up with wide grin.

The woman huffed, clearly hating the numerous nicknames they came up with. Ban passed Meliodas the envelope. He too examined the papers inside, grinning even wider. The bar owner waved someone over, King appearing at his side a moment later. Meliodas wordlessly handed it to the ginger and King nodded, taking it and heading straight for the basement without a word.

"Much appreciated, as always, Jer." Meliodas nodded his head in thanks.

"Whatever." Jericho spat at him.

Meliodas and Ban disappeared as quick as they'd came.

"What… what was that about?" I stared at the other woman, determined to get answers from somebody.

"I don't think I need to explain how blackmail works to _you_ , now do I, El?" She at least had the decency not to use my name or mention my occupation. "What do they have on you?"

My mouth hung open slightly at another piece of the puzzle handed to me. Jericho. Not only did they have Merlin on the forensic side of things, they also had Jericho on the more legal and political side. How many of their informants did she help keep out of jail?

And what exactly did the sins have on her to make her comply?

"Nothing." I answered her question honestly. She'd likely be able to tell I was lying if I had tried. She wasn't the best because of her looks. And I was never the best liar to begin with. "What about you?"

She eyed me suspiciously. "Then why are you here?"

I nibbled my lip. I ran into the woman on occasion and she never failed to make me a little anxious. My eyes scanned the room, trying to discern if anyone was listening. I decided to stay vague. "I'm sure you can make an educated guess as to why I'd be here without blackmail being the driving factor." I spoke lowly.

"Huh." She quirked a brow. Her mouth opened as if to say more before she shook her head.

"What do they have on _you_?" I pushed her again.

Jericho chuckled, a new excited spark in her eye and a smug smile on her face. One I instantly dreaded seeing. What was this woman planning? She pushed away from the bar without another word.

"Wait." I followed her to the door. "You… you won't…"

"Hmm?" She hummed, all nonchalant. "If you're worried about me saying something, don't. We're both here for reasons that I'm sure would be _detrimental_ to our progress if either of us mentioned this to anyone." Her sharp gold eyes bore into mine, heavy with the intent to get her point across.

I swallowed and nodded.

"Good." She nodded once. "See ya, El." She waved over her shoulder and walked out the door.

My eyes stayed locked on the door far longer than they needed to be. Yet another altercation with someone I knew that left my head spinning. Why Jericho? Of all the lawyers out there she had appeared to be one of the better ones in way of morals - not that she hadn't represented some real scumbags in the past. Just what would have her going so far against her code as aiding a well known gang allegedly responsible for distributing XGEN?

Was this why the sins never locked the doors? So their informants could come and go as they pleased?

I sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of my nose.

Meeting Jericho and Arthur barely answered any of my many questions. Instead their appearances only revealed about a hundred more.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be back." Meliodas announced to the room that lead to the secret base. "Just gunna change."

Before he could go far, he shut the door and glanced down at the phone in his hand with a deep frown. Without acknowledging my presence in any way, he bounded quickly up the stairs.

My lips purse at the odd behavior. Without giving much thought, I followed behind him. I stayed relatively quiet but did my best not to look like I was snooping. If anyone asked I'd just say I was going to my room to change. The Sins have all been strangely scattered this morning, anyways. It was unlikely I'd run into anyone in the small trek upstairs.

A door shut just as I rounded the corner. It had to be for Meliodas' room.

Carefully, I walked down the hall, stopping right outside his door. Something churned in my stomach as I thought of the time I'd spent in there only hours ago. I pushed the feeling aside. With an ear pressed against the wood, I could hear his voice.

"I thought I told you not to call me at this number."

"Couldn't be helped." And one I didn't recognize.

"Well?" Meliodas sounded impatient. "What do you want?"

"I heard you made quite the ruckus at a certain charity event this week."

There was a short silence before Meliodas' voice quieted threateningly, "How the hell do you know about that?"

"So it _was_ you. Thought as much."

The blonde growled, "Answer the damn question, Estarossa."

 _Estarossa? I don't think I've ever heard that name before._

"Word travels fast in the underworld. I've told you that. Luckily for you, no one is attributing it to your little... _group_."

There was another momentary pause, and I'm left to process the information in the silence. Underworld? I knew Meliodas had plenty of contacts, many of which I knew from my own professional life. I'm not sure why it suddenly surprised me that a man who supposedly ran a gang had contacts in the "criminal underworld".

I didn't get to think on it long before Meliodas spoke up again, "What other whispers have you heard?"

There was a dark chuckle from the man on the line, "Oh how the mighty fall - since when are you so interested in the family business?"

"I'm not. I want to know if any _major players_ are making waves down there."

Silence.

"No one that I'm aware of. Why?"

I heard Meliodas curse under his breath. He'd told me the point of threatening Melascula had been to make the Commandments squirm - did this mean that they were calling his bluff? But that didn't seem right. They'd tried to send us on a wild goose chase with that email Arthur had given us the data on. And he'd told me the guy who'd spoke to him at the warehouse had been a hired hand by the Commandments. We were on the right track. We had to be.

"Was that the point to all of this? Creating waves 'down here' as you say?" the man on the line asked, curiously, as if reading into my own thoughts on the matter.

"That's really none of your concern."

There was a deep chuckle on the line, "I think you know by now that it is."

"Yeah, about that. How _is_ the family business?"

"So you do care afterall."

"No. You've denied it before, so I'm just wondering why the hell-" Meliodas seemed irritated suddenly, but he stopped mid-sentence, "Know what? Nevermind. Forget it." he dismissed.

"No, please, I'd love to know what's gotten you so fired up. Are you perhaps worried about us?"

 _Us?_

But Meliodas wasn't playing into it. "Goodbye, Estarossa. Don't call me on this line again." He deadpanned before I heard the soft chime as he ended the call.

Which meant it was high-time I got out of sight.

I quickly, yet quietly snuck back down the hall to my own room, opening and closing the door behind me without even a click of the doorknob.

I waited there by the door silently until I heard one open and close down the hall and distinct footsteps leading back down the stairs. No hesitation by my room.

A sigh of relief escaped me that I hadn't realized I was holding until I could no longer hear his steps on the stairs.

Arthur, Jericho, and now this mystery man? There really wasn't an end in sight to all the questions I had. There was a picture forming in my mind - a giant puzzle. I was just starting to see the big picture, but I could only speculate as to the details. I was still missing too many pieces.

I shoved my hands in my jacket pockets, content with sulking when my fingers brushed against the small disposable phone still hiding there. I'd forgotten to take it out in light of the antics I'd gotten up to the night before. I was lucky Meliodas hadn't found it.

Having the phone out in my hand now, reminded me that I'd also completely forgotten to call Howzer…

He was going to be pissed.

Glancing down at my watch, I nibbled my lip in conflicted contemplation. I had enough time before we were supposed to get busy that I could call him, but was I so desperate to get a lecture so early in the day?

I sighed. The answer was clear.

I just hoped Howzer was in a forgiving mood.

* * *

Dom: *Sits with luv at their computer… just sort of staring at it. Both of them blushing slightly* Whoo boy… that… that escalated quickly.

Luv: *clears throat* Uh yeah… yeah it sure did.

Dom: *Rubs the back of her neck* I mean… I didn't see that coming. At all.

Luv: … it happens… I guess? *shrugs helplessly* I mean can ya blame a girl? *chuckles awkwardly*

Dom: I - I suppose not. I just didn't expect it! *sighs in shock* I guess you never know what someone is capable of when put in a position like that!

Luv: I feel like I should cue up some appropriate background music to go with that statement...

Dom: *Nods sagely* Yes. I'd imagine it would be a very happy tune. Like… "Somewhere Over the Rainbow*

Luv: *busts out laughing* Yes. Yes, that's perfect!

Dom: I mean, what other tune would you put to someone being showered in puppies?

Luv: …. Is that what we're calling it?

Dom: That's what the video is titled, so why not? Wait… what are _you_ talking about?

Luv: Uhhhhhhhhh *clears throat awkwardly* Next Time on Don't Trust Me: Despite best efforts, some things just can't be taken back. Elizabeth has crossed a line she can't uncross, and that puts her entire investigation at risk. The closer she seems to get to the sins, though, the more the truth behind their motives seems to play into the bigger picture. But will Meliodas hear her out, or cast her out of the bar for good?

Dom: *Eyes Luv speculatively* What were you thinking of? Now I'm really curious!

Luv: Puppies! Duh! *begins sliding out of the room and whistles innocently. As soon as she hits the doorway, she bolts*

Dom *Chases after Luv* COME BACK HERE AND TELL ME YOUR SECRETS!


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

"Police Department, Detective Howzer speaking," I was greeted with before the phone had even rung twice.

"Howzer, it's me."

I heard what sounded like the first part of a curse, then, "Jesus, Elle… Where the fuck have you been?!" His tone was the strangest mixture of angry and relieved and it made me grin, "I thought I'd have to put an APB out on you. What happened to calling me back?"

"I'm sorry, Howzer. It was a tough spot. Guns were involved. Besides, working undercover doesn't leave a lot of time to sneak away. I was nearly caught the last time." I admitted, recalling the sharp, and scary, scolding I'd received on my second day here.

The man on the other line let out a long sigh and I could picture him massaging his temples, fighting the urge to ask all the questions I knew he must have been holding back, "Alright, fine. Just… catch me up, will ya? Our boss is on my ass for updates."

At the mere mention of the Chief, my father, my cheeks burned and chest tightened. It wasn't like he wasn't already a looming thought in the back of my mind. But having him brought up like this was like a kick to the gut.

I certainly didn't need the reminder that I was running out of time.

Now the next problem was going to be explaining everything that had taken me two weeks to wrap my head around, "Look, I'm going to sound completely insane, but I need you to bear with me, alright?"

"I'm going to regret agreeing to this…"

I pouted, despite him not being able to see me. "Do you want me to fill you in or not?"

"Yes, fine."

"This case is much more than it appears on the outside. We've been going about it all wrong."

"How so?" He asked, sounding less than convinced.

"I don't have all the answers yet, but this goes much deeper than a street gang drug. And by the looks of it, local government officials are in on it."

I waited a heart beat for him to react, but when I was met with silence, I continued, "We've only just scratched the surface, really, with everything we'd gathered back at the precinct. There's evidence that a major corporate entity is actually involved with the production and distribution of XGEN to prominent gangs around the city. They're getting away with it because there are key city leaders in their back pocket."

I paused again, this time allowing for the long silence to stretch a bit on the line before Howzer finally spoke, "You're right. You _do_ sound completely insane." there was a shift in his tone, almost as if he were annoyed, "Is this conspiracy theory seriously what you plan on pursuing? This sounds like a wild goose chase! Where is all of this even coming from?

I pinked a bit, "It's all in the evidence they've been sharing with me-"

" _Their_ evidence. Evidence we have no access to in order to substantiate. How do you know the sins aren't lying to distract you?"

That one stung, "Because I'm not an idiot, for one, and two I can do my fucking job?" I retorted with a scoff, though there was a part of me that knew he wasn't entirely wrong.

Howzer sighed, annoyed still, but I didn't really care. He knew full well that he'd pissed me off, "I didn't mean it like that."

"I don't care how you meant it Howzer. Obviously, I know this sounds crazy. Trust me, the evidence to back it up is doubly so. I just… need more time to prove it."

"Time you don't have."

Again, with the reminders?

"How the hell am I supposed to update the Chief with this? He's going to order you back."

I sighed. He wasn't going to like what I had to say next. "You don't."

Another pause, and this time I looked at my phone just to make sure I hadn't dropped the call before I heard him speak again. "I'm sorry, you want to run that by me again?"

"You said it yourself. The moment you tell the Chief this information, he's going to order me back and my case is as good as gone."

I'd come too far for this case to be taken from me - done too much. "I know I don't have much, but I _do_ still have time. So I need you to trust me and let me run with this."

There was a contemplative sigh from my partner. He sounded like the last month had aged him beyond his years, "Elle, don't you think this is getting a little out of hand? I mean… I get it. You want to prove yourself… but I don't get why you're being so headstrong about this case."

"Seriously? You're really going to bring that up now?"

"Yes, seriously. I'm not just your partner. I'm your friend. As your friend, I'm starting to worry that you're obsessing over this case. It isn't healthy. Not to mention you're not exactly being the most objective when it comes to your _contact_."

My cheeks flared, but this time it wasn't out of anger. "I-I don't know what you mean." I stuttered, feeling my whole body flush and heat as Meliodas was brought to mind.

"I'm saying this is starting to sound a lot like Occam's razor, but you're going _way_ out of your way to prove this crazy conspiracy. Why?"

"Because the sins have evidence that-"

"Yeah and tin-foil hats online have evidence that aliens exist and that the moon landing was a hoax. What makes the sins' evidence any more compelling?" my partner interrupted before I could make my case.

Ignoring for a moment that Howzer had compared my investigation to some sort of alien conspiracy, I huffed again, "Howzer, I get that it's hard to believe in things you haven't seen with your own eyes, but for a moment can you stop being an ass and trust me?"

He scoffed, "I _do_ trust you. I wouldn't work with you if I didn't. But I also know that being obsessed with a case means you're more likely to jump to whatever conclusion helps you solve it. Even if the answer is literally staring you in the face and leading you away from it."

I didn't want to give credence to the idea that I was obsessed - with anything, let alone this case, so I chose to ignore the insinuation, "You still think Meliodas is behind all this."

"Occam's razor, Elle. If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it's probably a duck. I'm just saying. We caught the guy with the drugs at the club. Exactly where our sources said we'd find the guy responsible."

He was right. It wasn't such a logic leap. Meliodas made himself and the sins out to be this ruthless gang. I'd seen some of the ways in which they operated. And maybe, if I hadn't spent so much time getting to know them all, I would still be on the same train of thought as Howzer.

But I wasn't.

"They're not involved, Howzer. Not in the way you suspect."

"What I suspect is that you're in too deep. Meliodas is over there twisting your focus on this case with his charms and conspiracy theories."

"What?!" I squealed involuntarily, my face flaring with heat in a way I didn't appreciate, "M-My focus is NOT being! How dare you accuse me of-"

He scoffed, "Right~." There was a sarcastic draw to his words, "I sure as hell hope you're better acting undercover than you are trying to convince me you haven't fallen for this guy's charms."

"No one has fallen for anything! An-and if anything, he's fallen for me!"

There was a short pause, "What exactly is that supposed to mean?"

Fuck… I'd said too much.

"N-nothing. Just… W-we've been getting closer and he's starting to really trust me-" I stammered, feeling that all too familiar heat rising up to burn up my neck and face as I tried to tiptoe around the truth.

"Oh god…"

I cleared my throat, swallowing the rest of my words, "What?"

"You didn't."

"Didn't what?"

"Oh my god, you did."

I growled exasperatedly into the phone, "Did what?!"

His voice dropped, "You slept with him."

It wasn't a question.

I was so mortified by his blunt accusation that I was stunned silent. No excuses rolled off the tongue. No explanations. Not even a squeak.

We stayed silent like that for what felt like a long time.

"I don't have to tell you how this looks, right?" He asked suddenly, but quietly.

"No. You don't." I answered, just as low.

He didn't have to tell me. I was suddenly all too aware that my moment of weakness jeopardized my case on so many levels. It said that I wasn't being objective. That I'd become too close. That my emotions could be swayed.

Even though I didn't think any of that, it certainly didn't look good.

Not for the first time since that morning did I regret letting lust get in the way of my better judgment. But it was a little late for that now.

"Elle… I want to believe you. I want to trust that you're not compromised. That there is something to this rabbit hole you seem hell bent on jumping in. You and I have known each other for a long time. But I can't hold off the dogs forever."

I felt my head perk up at his words. Did this mean he was still backing me up?

"I know I don't have to, but I'm going to remind you again that you don't have much more time. Get something, _anything_ , concrete. Otherwise it'll be both of us on the chopping block. You hear me?"

I smiled despite knowing he couldn't see it, "Yeah. Thanks, Howzer. Seriously."

"Don't thank me yet. You still have to find the evidence you need to solve this case." He huffed, but I could tell he had a small grin on his face. "Alright, anything else?"

I opened my mouth to say no, but my voice stopped in my throat as I recalled Meliodas' phone call. I knew I should have let it go… I knew that it was going against my agreement… but I'd already crossed that line. "Actually… yeah…Do me a favor and run a quick check on a man named Estarossa."

"Last name?"

"I don't have one."

"I'm going to need more than that, Elles. The name isn't super common, but I'm finding more than a handful."

I thought back on the conversation I'd overheard. He'd been pretty cryptic over the phone, but there were a couple of clues in the things he'd said, "Try narrowing the search to those who've served time."

"Got it." He mumbled before I heard him clack away at his keyboard, "We're down to four. Anything else?"

"Any of them have any siblings or close relatives in the area?" It was a long shot. We never had any luck tracking Meliodas down before - it was likely he'd been wiped from the system.

"All four. One with a younger sister and the other three with multiple siblings."

Damn… So much for that.

" _Oh how the mighty fall - since when are you so interested in the family business?"_

Family business?

"How about a family criminal history? Siblings, extended?"

A few quick keystrokes and Howzer's tone changed, "Now we're in business. Only one has had any family criminal ties. Last name, Blake. Father served time for multiple counts of grand larceny and some other petty crimes."

"Siblings?"

"Mhmm, two. A younger brother who served jail time at the same time as he did for robbery as a juvenile. The other person listed appears to be an older brother who was most likely related by marriage only and is…" Howzer drew out the words as he clicked a few times, "deceased. But there doesn't seem to be any other records of him. Just the mention in the familial files for the two brothers."

"How do you know he was related by marriage only?"

"He's got a different last name. Full name: Aldo Kabe Miles."

"And you said he's deceased?"

Howzer hummed, and a could hear him clatter again at his keyboard, "Yeah, I have a death certificate for Mr. Miles - died in the line of duty coming up on five years ago."

Line of duty. So his older brother was a soldier. Very promising. But, that name…

I pulled an old order pad from my dresser, spelling out the name. It had to be an alias. It just seemed so perfect. And with a couple of quick re-writes, I grinned. It was an anagram. Aldo Kabe Miles rearranged perfectly to spell _Meliodas Blake_.

 _Found you._

I grinned, despite myself, "Thanks Howzer."

"Is this related to your rabbit hole?"

I didn't want to give too much away, "Maybe. I'm not sure yet. I'll talk to you later, alright? I have to get back before anyone starts to wonder where I've gone. Do you mind texting me those files?"

"Consider it done."

There was that weight lifted off my chest knowing that Howzer had been caught up and was on my side. At least for the moment. I needed allies - as many as I could get.

"I'll try calling again soon."

"Alright, just… be careful." he finished before hanging up.

The rest of the afternoon was nothing special. Almost mundane compared to what I would have expected after such an eventful night.

Meliodas spent most of it in the basement with King. I assumed that the two were going over the events of last night and the data Arthur had given him on that flash drive, and the documents Jericho had brought earlier. Though, I never did get a chance to step away from the bar to find out for sure.

The blonde came up periodically. Mainly to chit chat with customers while Ban and Diane took turns heading to the basement. Part of me was curious what exactly was being said, but my nerves wouldn't let me think too deeply on it.

Because the other part of me felt guilty. Guilty for the amount of digging I'd done behind Meliodas' back. Guilty for getting multiple people's help to do so. A guilt that was exasperated when I felt the buzz of my burner phone hidden in my pocket and realized Howzer had sent me the files I'd requested.

During a slow time in the afternoon, Meliodas disappeared. I don't know when he left or where he went. When I asked Ban, he simply told me 'Boss is running errands,' and went back to the kitchen. A few hours later, though, he came back.

Meliodas avoided me after that. Whenever we were within a few feet of each other. At least that's how it seemed. But perhaps I was just paranoid - my guilt getting the better of me. I tried to catch him before he headed back towards the basement King had held himself up in for most of the day. I needed to talk to him. At the very least to clarify what had happened between us the night before.

"Hey Meliodas… can I talk to you?"

He paused for only a second, sparing me a fleeting glance. "Maybe later?"

His tone hadn't given anything away, but I could have sworn I'd sensed an irritation there. Like I had in Howzer's voice over the phone. I nodded quickly, desperately trying not to let my anxiety goad me into believing he was angry at me, mumbling "Sure…"

As soon as the words left my mouth, he left me.

Every attempt after that was either blantily ignored or he brushed me off with the excuse of having to do something. Finally my patience, and my paranoia, reached its breaking point.

"Is he mad at me?" I asked Diane as she helped me bus a table.

Diane hummed as she looked from me to Meliodas who was focused on what he was doing behind the bar, "Have you done something he _should_ be mad at you for?" She asked with a raised brow and I kept my face from flaring up.

Yes. But I was _very_ hopeful he was still in the dark about my conversation with Howzer.

"No," I answered, trying to keep the defensiveness out of my voice, only to get a teasing chuckle from the brunette.

"I'm just playing with you!" She hugged me from the side as I pouted, "Nah, the boss is usually a little grumpy when he comes back from his personal errands. You learn to get used to it."

That reminded me of the day he'd been really hard on King. He'd gone on a personal errand that day too... "Is it the same errand as last week?"

She merely shrugged, sticking out her tongue at me when I gave her a sideways glance.

"Don't worry so much." Diane bumped her shoulder against mine. "I mean, you could always just _ask_ him right? If you're bothered so much."

I scowled at her seemingly obvious answer. Outright asking just seemed too… simple. And what if he was angry with me? Would I even be able to fix it? What could he even be mad at me for - aside from the obvious eavesdropping and backhanded information gathering, I hadn't done anything wrong. Though, that in itself was enough.

"That's what I do anyway. Honesty is the best and everything else is bullshit, as they say."

My mind replayed her words and I shook my head. "I don't think that's what the saying is, Diane."

"Eh, oh well. It's worked for me." She pursed her lips and tapped her chin in thought. "Well, most of the time anyways" She giggled, walking away to greet the next customers.

I wiped down the table and moved to the next. Diane's saying may have been a bit off, but the sentiment wasn't a bad one. Perhaps I _should_ just ask Meliodas what was going on. Try being honest with him. I'd resorted to gathering intel on my own because I didn't trust that they'd give me the truth. But I hadn't exactly given them the benefit of the doubt. I guess I still wasn't. I hadn't exactly told them from the start that I had a time limit.

And now, I was running _out_ of time.

They'd given me so much, but not nearly enough to call this case closed. Nothing to arrest anyone. If I went back to the station with the conspiracy laid before me, the Chief would send me back to arrest Meliodas and the sins without a moment's hesitation.

I glanced up in time to watch Meliodas disappear around the corner and my resolve was set.

It was time I got the whole truth. For all our sakes.

And maybe… tell a few truths of my own.

It was well after closing time when I found my chance to approach Meliodas again. He was behind the bar counter doing inventory when I finished my last given chore for the night.

His mood hadn't bettered at all, and he'd even told everyone he'd handle the rest of clean up if they wanted some free time.

To my surprise, most of everyone took him up on it, disappearing this way and that.

Perhaps that's what a smart person would have done. He was obviously trying to politely ask everyone to stay out of his way. That he needed some time alone…

But I couldn't miss this chance.

I walked behind the counter, shuffling bottles around and organizing, trying to figure out how best to start. Diane's words played in my mind again. But how did one just go about asking something like that?

"You don't have to stick around." Meliodas said suddenly. Eying me in a sidelong glance that seemed a bit colder than usual. A far cry from the passionate gazes he'd given me in the early morning hours.

I shrugged, ignored the brush-off, and pulled out a spare towel, "I want to."

Meliodas seemed to struggle to stay polite. I could see it in the way his face betrayed him desperately trying to reign in his wayward mood. Like he was telling himself to behave. "Suit yourself." He decided on, turning his attentions to restocking and wiping down the bar.

God, I hated how tense this was. There were so many things I wanted to just ask! But the moment they left me I knew he'd shut me down. He wasn't exactly in the mood for idle conversation - that much was clear in how he all but ignored me as I worked next to him.

What the hell had he done earlier that put him in such a sour state?

It was like a fucking lightbulb went off in my head.

It wasn't what I planned on opening up with, but it was as good a start as any… right?

"Where were you today?" I asked cautiously, curiously, trying not to sound overly analytical. I was mentally bracing myself for the storm that was to come - hoping against hope that he didn't just blow me off. And with the mood he was in, I knew now really wasn't the right time, but I needed to do this before anyone else could come and interfere.

Meliodas' hand movements faltered in my peripherals, but he quickly recovered, "I'm not sure how that's any of your business." His tone was clipped. I could tell he was putting a lot of effort into sounding nonchalant. It was the kind of tone I'd learned meant 'leave it be'. Unfortunately, I couldn't do that this time.

"I think it is my business." I asserted without glancing his way. I was playing one hell of a poker face. Poking at an already pissed-off bear.

This time, Meliodas completely froze, turning an incredulous glare my way. I could feel the heat from where I purposefully continued cleaning the counter beside him. "Excuse me?"

This was it. I had to take a quick breath to steel myself for what was to come. There was a number of ways this could go. Worst case scenario; he threw me out and I lost my only real lead and then my job. But I really hoped we had become close enough that he wouldn't go that far.

I mean… we'd slept together, for crying out loud! That had to mean _something_ right?

Finally, I turned towards him, pouring as much sincerity into my gaze and voice as possible, "It's been two weeks, Meliodas. I… I need some real answers." Even I hated how fucking detached I sounded. Like I hadn't gotten close to these people in one way or another. Close or not, though, it didn't make my statement any less true.

The blonde rolled his eyes and I could feel his irritation growing, "Oh, not with this shit again." I don't think he's glared at me like this before. "Drop it. Alright? You'll get your evidence when we have it. Your impatience does not allow you unfettered access to my privacy." He hissed, all trace of restraint gone.

Now I was quickly losing grip of the determination and steeliness I had put up as his words stuck to me - and stung. "I'd like to think I've had a remarkable amount of patience with all of this, thank you very much!" I snapped back, throwing my towel on the counter. "But I'm running out of time here! If I don't start getting some answers I could lose my job!"

Meliodas scoffed, shaking his head, "That's all you care about isn't it?" His words made my cheeks burn with the implication. "Well," He pushed past me into the bar area where he began wiping tables down. "excuse me if I don't have any sympathy for you, _Princess_. Some of us have more on the line."

It was like a cold brush off. How could one man be so passionate one day and so cold the next?

"This… this is my life… my livelihood, we're talking about here." My voice was soft and pleading. "That's not enough?"

"I'm not talking about this anymore," he dismissed.

I feel my frustration finally reach its boiling point. I'm so fucking tired of being led around. I want the answers so bad; I decide to play my trump card. I was placing all my bets on this. I scoffed, "Fine. How about we talk about this then." I reach inside my jacket and yank out the picture that I had found, throwing it on the table Meliodas was wiping.

He looked down at it, his jaw tightening, before his green eyes darted up to glare at me again and if looks could kill I would have been dead on the spot, "Where the hell did you get this?" His voice was low and threatening, but I wasn't afraid of him. I was beyond being afraid of what this man could do to me.

"I found it. Under the bed in the room you're letting me stay in." I answered truthfully, just as clipped and irritated as he'd been.

"Bullshit." He fired back in a growl. Like a provoked dog.

I can't help but scoff again. Unbelievable. "Are you fucking kidding me?" I shook my head in disbelief; he was so infuriating. "After everything that's happened… _that's_ where you draw the line in trusting me?"

He gave me a cold look but said nothing. There was a rage burning there in his eyes that he was holding back with all his might. I could feel it. But if I backed down now, there was no way he'd ever trust me again. I had to follow-through.

"You're barking up the wrong tree, Elizabeth. She… has nothing to do with this."

I had to wonder to which tree he was referring. That of the case or of his group. As far as I could tell, they were one and the same. "Meliodas, her death is at the very core of all of this!" I pushed back without thinking, knowing I'd let too much slip the moment the words left my mouth.

"You looked into her?"

I swallowed, feeling a bit of my determination crack at the sudden distrust in his face, but I recovered quickly, "You gave me no choice! I still have a job to do, here. You've given me nothing but conspiracy theories! I'm running out of time to solve this case and her overdose was the closest thing to a lead that-"

"SHE DIDN'T OVERDOSE!" Meliodas' balled fists came down hard on the table, making me stagger back slightly. It was a rage that neither of us had been expecting, if the sudden conflict in his eyes was any indication. But that confliction didn't cool him down in the slightest.

Something wasn't right here.

Was he so short sighted and paranoid about Liz's death that he actually doubted the cause of death? "Look," I started, much softer, but no less aggressive, "I get it. I see this sort of thing a lot more than I'd like to admit. But Liz had a lethal dose of XGEN in her system and-"

"No, you don't get it!" He roared accusingly, and I flinched back again, "You don't understand at all!"

I blinked a couple of times as he stared me down like a stranger.

But he was right. I'd lived here for two weeks now, I'd been a part of their schemes and I had fallen for his charm, and I still had no clue. No idea whatsoever as to why a group of people like them could come together like this. How he could possibly doubt the evidence in front of his face. How any of this made any sense to anyone involved.

The tension in my shoulders eased as the anger left me.

The problem before had been that I wanted to look at all of this through the lens of a detective. I wanted to solve my case and I didn't want to know how the rest of this made any difference. I wanted to stay detached.

But it was clear now… watching Meliodas glare me down, trying to remain in control of his anger, that I'd missed something along the way.

I'd seen it, but ignored it. Desperately ignored it.

But I couldn't ignore it any more.

"Then make me." I retorted softly.

He watched me for what felt like a long time. His confusion obvious as his features morphed from fury to scrutinizing.

"You're right." I chuckled humorlessly at the irony, "I _don't_ understand. I don't get any of this." I extend my hands, waving them around to include everything and everyone within the bar. "So make me understand."

It was all too clear to me now. What I'd missed. Why he even agreed to help me in the first place, "That _is_ why I'm here, isn't it?"

There was silence in the bar. Loud in its own way as it consumed the both of us. I was wearing my heart on my sleeves now - I could feel it hammering as I finally let all sincerity fill my words and expression. "You keep telling me to _trust you_. That you're on my side. Did you ever once consider that maybe I was on _your_ side too?"

My own words surprised me as I found truth in them. I _was_ on his side. I had been from the start. I had literally staked my entire career on someone I'd met twice. I wanted to believe that Meliodas wasn't the criminal everyone said he was and I wanted to help the sins destroy this criminal underworld; not because it was my job, but because it was the right thing to do.

 _This is bigger than all of us._ King's statement from weeks ago rang through my head. _We just want to see it destroyed._

He remained silent as he mulled over my words. His face betraying his hesitance in letting me in - his uncertainty to my trustworthiness.

At least he wasn't yelling any more.

Before long, though, he was making his way across the bar, rounding behind it and pouring two mugs full of beer, then bringing them back to the table I was still occupying. It took him another moment sitting in the high-top chair before he spoke again, this time, his voice was calmer - hoarse from yelling, "Alright."

I nod, cautiously taking my seat across from him, "Alright." I mimic.

He took a long sip of his beer, and I did the same, allowing for the man to collect his thoughts.

He stared at the picture of him and Liz on the table and I saw a storm of turmoil raging in his usually bright green eyes, "What do you want to know?" He asked me out of the blue, and I felt a wave of relief. Like a gust of fresh air.

I knew so much, yet so little. Gilthunder's report had been extensive. But it wasn't enough.

"Everything." I said and I could tell how hard this was for him from the way his eyes rested on me - exhausted, at his last straw. Like he was putting his last hopes into telling me his tale.

And I hoped from the very bottom of my heart that his hopes were not wasted.

"Tell me everything. From the beginning."

* * *

Luv: Hey, uh, Dom?

Dom: Yes, Luv?

Luv: Uh…. *stares at her face intently*... What's on your face?

Dom: Whatever could you mean? *Looks on genuinely curious*

Luv: *Continues staring* Uh…. *simple lifts up her pointer finger and holds it over her upper lip* … Uh?

Dom: I'm not sure what you're getting at. *Lifts a tenuous brow*

Luv: Mustache! You-You have a mustache! *points intensely* How- when?

Dom: Luv… I've… always had a mustache.

Luv: Oh… right… *leans closer* Seems extra bushy today and … Is it moving?

Dom: Luv…. it's always done that. Are you alright?

Luv: Um… *starts to question everything she knows* Yeah, totally! I'm totally fine! *starts sweating*

Dom: *stares suspiciously* HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM… *Continues staring suspiciously*

Luv: *waves off her look* Just do the thing already!

Dom: *Does the thing* Next Time on Don't Trust Me: Meliodas' past will finally be revealed. But will Elizabeth be able to accept it? Once she learns the truth, she's presented with an ultimatum - one that will define the rest of her career.

Luv: It's fine. *lowers herself into a fetal position* This is fine.

Dom: *Mustache begins twirling on face like a plane propeller as she pats Luv on the head* Yes, yes it is, dear. Talleyho, gents! See you next time!


End file.
